Requiem for a Spartan
by pjmb13
Summary: The 3rd story in the series to follow up "Faithfully Spartan" and "Eternal Spartan". Faith and Michael-113 have been reunited and enjoying the good life. But can a Spartan truly find and enjoy the peace? New challenges and old enemies arise to test and threaten Faith and Michael. Can they endure and survive? At what cost and what sacrifices will be required for them to be together?
1. Chapter 1

This is my third story. This is a HALO Buffy crossover and is the follow up to my stories "Faithfully Spartan" and "Eternal Spartan". I appreciate all constructive comments and editorials. I have discovered from writing that to become a decent writer you must have no self-esteem :-)

I just want to say thanks to the creators, writers and designers of both the HALO and Buffy franchises. They have provided me with hours of enjoyment and entertainment. All characters are the intellectual property of their respective creators and publishers; this story may not be sold or distributed on a profit-making basis.

Thanks to all that read this story...

* * *

**Chapter 1**

_"To maintain morale among the forces of the UNSC, any Spartan casualties are to be listed as Missing In Action (MIA) or Wounded In Action (WIA), but never Killed In Action (KIA)." - ONI Directive 930 issued in 2547_

**_ONI Research Facility – Brisbane, Earth – Sol System – April 12, 2556_**

Doctor Lawrence Harrison was having another busy day. The war with the Covenant had been over for 3 years, but there seemed to be some new conflict or fighting flaring up each day with either remnants of the Covenant or human separatist forces.

Doctor Harrison had been tasked by ONI to review the SPARTAN program. He had been spending most of his focus specifically on the SPARTAN-II program. This small group of soldiers had been the saviors of the human race during the Human-Covenant war.

Due to the still classified controversial aspects of the "recruiting" program there were no records on the family history and background for any of the Spartan II candidates. Doctor Harrison could only review the training, battle records and current status of each Spartan.

He had started with and gone through the record of John-117 and some of the other more "famous" Spartans. He was nearing the end of his list of names. He opened and started reviewing the file for the Spartan named Michael-113. The training record for this Spartan made for interesting reading. Michael-113 almost died during the augmentation process. It seemed that this Spartan had been considered as the "rebel" of the group. He would work with the other Spartans on achieving team objectives, but it was recognized that Michael-113 preferred working alone. With that in mind, Michael-113 was assigned to a large number of infiltration, long range reconnaissance and assassination missions by himself. He had a high rate of success in achieving his mission objectives. There was a note under the medical section of Michael-113's file that he be monitored for any physiological symptoms due to the nature of the missions that the Spartan had undertaken.

Doctor Harrison moved on to review Michael-113's battle record. There were the usual number of commendations and medals awarded, but some entries on certain mission details had been redacted, which surprised the doctor as he had a high ONI security clearance and it made him wonder about the missions that Michael-113 did that even the good doctor could not view.

The last mission record info for Michael-113 was that he had been a part of an ONI research and recover mission to planet catalog name PX-2235. From the reports, a Covenant battle group arrived and attacked the mission team. Michael-113 disobeyed, overrode orders and commanded the marine fire teams to withdraw to the evacuation point. The majority of the mission was able to escape, but Michael-113 remained behind to cover the withdrawal. A recon ship had been sent back seven weeks later to try and determine the status of 113, but it appeared that whatever had been on the planet to warrant ONI and the Covenant to go to the planet in the first place had been destroyed taking half the planet with it. No contact nor was any evidence found to determine Michael-113's status. Michael-113 was officially declared "Missing in Action – Presumed Dead".

The doctor closed the file to move on to the next one. He paused for a moment and hoped that Michael-113 was at peace…

* * *

**_Tahiti – April 12, 2005 – 1535 local time_**

"Michael? Did you hear what I said?" the female voice said.

"Huh? Sorry… I must have drifted off… What did you say?" I said sleepily.

"I said… You need to pay more attention to me…" the female voice said teasingly.

I yawned, "I don't think that's what you said and you know that I pay attention to you at all times…"

The female laughed at my response, "That may be, but could you put some more sun tan lotion on my back? I don't want to burn…"

"Yeah sure…" I said as I sat up and reached for the suntan lotion. I proceeded to somewhat expertly apply the lotion.

"Mmmmmm… That's nice… Still hard to believe that a big guy like you can have such a soft touch…" the female said as I applied the sun tan lotion.

"Trust me… It took a lot of practice… I had to relearn how to hold things after my augmentation…" I replied.

I looked at the female that was on the end of sun tan lotion I was applying. Faith and I had actually met just over two years ago, but I felt like I had known her my whole life. We were a strange couple. Faith was 24 years old and I was probably pushing closer to 50 years old (travelling back in time and jumping between universes tends to play havoc with trying to calculate your age). If that was the only thing strange about us, then it probably would have not been that noticeable. Faith was a Vampire Slayer and I was a Spartan. Being a Spartan didn't mean much on this world, but the world and universe I came from… It meant something…

I sighed…

Faith heard Michael sigh. She was concerned as she loved Michael and worried about him. If someone had told Faith a couple of years ago that she would be in love and that guy would be some sort of super soldier from a future alternate universe she would have called them crazy, but here she was.

She loved Michael not only because he was strong and brave, but that he accepted her for who she was, faults and all. Michael had been places and done things that she could only imagine, but he never bragged or strutted around about it. He was just… Michael, with no pretenses or airs put up and no masks… He was who he was and that still caused Faith concern as Michael had seen so much war, pain and suffering. Michael had told Faith a little bit about the war, but she knew that there was more to it. No one could go what he had gone through and not be changed. Faith had no doubts about Michael and his love for her. He had literally crossed universes to be with her. Like a knight of old or the hero from a fairy tale, Michael had always been there for Faith. She could only look at Michael and smile as she was happy when she was with him.

"Are you all right? Is applying sun tan lotion to my back asking a lot of a Spartan?" Faith said jokingly, but she had concern in her voice.

"I haven't been sleeping well…" I said.

"You've been having those dreams again haven't you?" Faith said with concern.

"It's nothing to worry about… They're just dreams…" I replied trying to ease Faith's concerns.

I had started having these dreams a few weeks ago. The dreams never were of a specific place or event, but I was always surrounded by my brother and sister Spartans. They were all there, the living and dead and they would look at me and point directly at me… They would never say a word but point… I would try to talk to them… I would yell and scream at them… It would always be one word that I would ask them… _Wh_y? They would never respond back.

I had told Faith about the dreams and I could see that she was worried. That was why we were now on a private beach in Tahiti. I wanted to spend as much time as I could with Faith. I could feel something coming… something I had been managing to dodge all these years. It seemed as if I had been running my whole life either towards or away from something.

I tried to change the topic from this morbid tone. I was on a private beach in a tropical paradise with a beautiful, young, and full of energy, strong woman and I was rubbing lotion on her back and here I was focused on some dreams I had…

I moved my hand from Faith's back and started rubbing her shoulders. I could feel her relax under my touch…

"Mmmmmm…. That feels nice… You are a wicked man…" I could hear Faith say.

"What do you want to do tonight?" I asked.

"I have a few ideas…" Faith replied with a sexy tone in her voice now.

"I do too, but I was thinking more about what you want to do for dinner tonight?" I said trying to maintain my focus.

Faith smiled, "Oh… Did you want to try that restaurant down the road?"

"That sounds like a plan… What did you want to do for desert?" I asked

"Something like this..." Faith said smiling as she leaned in and kissed me.

Up the beach under the cover of the jungle a camera was recording and taking pictures of the couple on the beach.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**_Sunnydale, California – April 12, 2005 – 1422 PST_**

Willow was in a bad mood again…

Kennedy had been noticing the last few months that Willow had become more moody and withdrawn. Kennedy had started to become more concerned as Willow's bad days were becoming more the norm. Even their love life had taken on a more desperate rough tone. Kennedy wasn't complaining too much about that aspect as it led to some great and intense sex and Willow seemed alive at that moment, but always afterwards the feeling wouldn't last and she would fall back into her moodiness.

Kennedy had hoped that Willow's moods would get better, but they seemed to only be getting worse and she was going between extremes in her mood swings. Kennedy had become so worried that she approached both Buffy and Xander as they had known Willow longer and may be able to provide some insight. Kennedy was having a private meeting with Buffy and Xander in the warehouse conference room…

"…So you can see why I'm concerned." Kennedy said as she had finished talking about Willow's recent behavior.

"Yeah… She has been a little more testy and moody than I have ever seen her." Xander said agreeing with Kennedy's observations.

"Willow hasn't said anything about what could be bothering her?" Buffy asked.

"No… Every time I try and talk to her she just shuts me out…" Kennedy replied.

"Do you think it has anything to do with Michael and that portal spell?" Xander said.

Xander was referring to the time when Faith and several potentials had been captured in another universe by some demons when looking for Michael. Buffy and Riley had taken a group of potentials through to rescue Faith's group. Michael had miraculously shown up rescuing Kennedy's group in another universe. Willow was trying to open a portal to for Michael to go through to rescue Faith and Willow was too weak at the time to open a portal and Michael stepped into magic circle and "assisted" Willow. Everyone had been shocked and amazed as both Willow and Michael seemed to glow and the portal opened to allow Michael to pass through and rescue Faith and everyone else.

"It's the only thing that I can think of that fits…" Kennedy replied.

Kennedy continued with concern and worry in her voice, "Maybe one of you can speak to Willow and get her to open up. I don't know what else to do…"

Buffy and Xander looked at each other.

"Buffy maybe you want to try and field this one… I've already talked Willow down once." Xander said referring to the time when Willow absorb black magic and nearly destroyed the world after Tara had been killed.

Buffy was a little hesitant, "Okay… I don't know how much help I can be… Xander you may want to be close by to step in…"

Xander nodded affirmative to Buffy.

"Thanks guys… I just hope we can help Willow…" Kennedy said.

* * *

A couple of hours later, Buffy managed to gather enough courage to approach Willow.

"Willow you want to go grab a coffee… snack?" Buffy asked with some hesitation.

"Sure… I guess." Willow replied.

"Let's head into town… I'll drive…" Buffy said.

Willow became a little hesitant with this idea. It had nothing to do with having with Willow's mood or seeing that Buffy wanted to discuss something serious. It had more to do with Buffy's driving. What Buffy made up in her Slayer skills was sadly lacking in her driving skills and it was to say the least always an "experience" when riding as a passenger in a vehicle with Buffy driving.

"Buffy… If you want to talk we can do it here… You don't need any pretexts with me." Willow replied trying to avoid having to drive with Buffy.

"If you are sure… We could go to my room." Buffy said oblivious to Willow's apparent relief of having dodged having to ride in a car with Buffy driving.

The two women went to Buffy's room. Buffy offered Willow a place to sit down and Willow sat down. Buffy couldn't help but notice that Willow was tense.

Buffy started speaking first and got straight to the matter at hand, "Willow… What's wrong? We're all worried… Is there something we can do to help?"

Willow was a little hesitant… How could she put it in words, "I… I've been having trouble sleeping… I keep having the same dreams."

"What kind of dreams?" Buffy asked.

"They are of places, people and things I have never seen before. The dreams are so vivid that they seem real. Some of the dreams are so horrible… It's hard to describe them. There are creatures chasing me… Bodies everywhere I look. I've seen whole cities and planets burning…' Willow said with pain and fear in her voice.

Now Buffy was getting even more worried, "Does this have anything to do with Michael and that portal spell?"

Willow nodded speaking, "When Michael stepped into the circle… I could feel his soul… His force of will is so strong… I could see and feel everything he has had to endure… Sometimes I feel like I'm losing myself and he will consume everything that I am…"

Willow continued, "Buffy… I don't know how he does it… How does Michael live each day without going crazy? I mean the things he has seen and done… I know everything about him and I mean everything and yet I can't fathom how he deals with it…"

Now Buffy was alarmed as she could now see how Willow was being tormented by the memories and feelings of the Spartan. Buffy was afraid that she would lose her best friend.

"Is there anything… I mean anything we can do?" Buffy asked.

"I guess talking to you will help." Willow said with some uncertainty. "…There is only one person on this planet that I can talk to that can really help."

I'm sure Michael and Faith will be back soon…" Buffy said hopefully.

"That's the kicker Buffy…" Willow said, "I know everything about Michael and I know how much he loves Faith and I guess those feelings and love has kept me from going insane… The intensity of his emotions… Buffy I mean when Michael feels… He really feels everything. Whatever was done to him to make him a Spartan has amplified his emotions. That he can keep them in control is a minor miracle…"

Buffy was a little doubtful about the "control" part as she had seen on two separate occasions the results when Michael had lost control. Both of those times involved Faith's life being at stake. Buffy could still see, in her mind, what Michael did to those demons in the castle that were holding Faith and her team prisoners. He used a weapon that he called a "plasma energy sword" to impale and cut in half the demons. Buffy was used to killing as she had done her fair share of it over the years, but what she saw Michael do… That was at a whole different level.

"But the question is… Are you going to be okay?" Buffy asked.

"I guess so… It will take some time… I do need to talk to Michael about this." Willow replied.

"Willow… Just remember if you need anything… Just ask… You know that Xander, Kennedy and I will always be there for you…" Buffy said hoping that she had been able to help Willow somehow.

* * *

_The young woman was not in a good mood… She had been trying to plan ways to get closer to Michael, but they were just not working out. She had been talking with her "dead" little brother to discuss her ideas and plans. A part of her knew that it wasn't really her little brother, but she didn't care as it was so nice to see and talk to him again. Her brother understood what she was going through and encouraged her to keep up with her planning as the opportunity would eventually rise to "remove" that bitch whore Faith from the picture and then she would have Michael all to herself… like she deserved._

_Michael and Faith were currently out of the country, but she had learned where they had gone. Her "brother" said he had a plan to remove her "Faith" problem and he __would make the arrangements. There was an element of risk to Michael, but she was sure he would survive. Getting rid of that bitch Faith was all that mattered and the rest would sort its self out._

_Patience was the key… She would keep planning and watch and wait for the right opportunity._


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**_Tahiti – April 15, 2005 – 0830 Local Time_**

Faith was just waking up. As she watched the morning sun, she stretched and yawned. She was still tired, but she smiled as she remembered the reason Michael and her had gotten to sleep so late. Michael had already gotten up and had gone for a run along the beach. Faith was still amazed (and happy) at how much energy he had.

Faith smiling thought, "I guess if I was going to have a boyfriend that would have the stamina to keep up with me. It would've had to have been either a vampire like Angel or an enhanced super soldier…" Her thoughts continued, "The advantage with a Spartan is that we can go to places like this without worrying about him bursting into flames…"

She rolled over and looked from their bed out the window of the cottage they had rented on this beach. She could see the ocean and the beach. She would never have thought she would ever get to places like this in her lifetime, but Michael had Adriana who happened to be an AI from the 26th century and could hack into every computer network on the planet. With that that sort of power available it made it quite easy to arrange for the money and identification to travel and stay at places like this.

She didn't want this trip to end as it was all like a dream and she didn't want to wake up from it.

"Jesus… I was never the girly girl type and here I am gushing like a school girl whenever I'm with Michael…" Faith thought.

It wasn't like if Michael treated her like an inferior or deferred to her because she was a woman. It was quite the opposite. Michael treated her like an equal. Michael had been raised and trained his whole life to look beyond the differences and find the strengths in people to work with them to complete the mission. He had to work with female soldiers (both Spartans and marines) in his universe and he valued them and their strengths. Faith was a vampire slayer and faced battle and death before. That created a bond between Michael and Faith that was more than friendship. For some reason this made Faith want to be more "feminine" around Michael.

Faith smiled as she recalled that she was the first woman that Michael had ever been with… That made their relationship more special to her. She knew that Michael had an "encounter" with a woman named Tala in an alternate universe, but he had been gone for months and that it had been a one-time affair. Faith couldn't hold it against him as he had been honest about it with her, plus she had some baggage of her own. She had run off to Los Angeles when she had thought Michael had died. Faith had some gaps in her memory from that time as she was running pretty wild and hard to try and drown her sorrow, but at least nothing had surfaced about her time in LA that she had to explain to Michael. Faith thought about getting up and having a shower, but then she got a wicked smile on her face and thought she would wait until Michael got back and join him in the shower.

As Faith was contemplating what to do when Michael got back from his run a group of men clad in black carrying assault rifles approached the cottage from the jungle…

* * *

I had gone out early for my morning run. I'd had to learn to pace myself to a more "normal" human pace to not draw any unwanted attention. This just meant I could now go further and longer, but it was frustratingly slower than what I was used to doing for my training runs.

I was kind of tired, but I smiled to myself as my tiredness wasn't related to any dreams, but to the late night Faith and I had. At this particular moment I was happy and content and there were no problems… I was with Faith and that's all that mattered.

I knew Faith would be disappointed as we were going to have to leave soon to go back to Sunnydale, but I was planning one side trip when we got back to Sunnydale. I was thinking that we would use the Forerunner Trans-Dimensional transport recall device and jump over to the alternate universe to see Adriana and Virgil. It had been a couple of months since we had last been there and felt it was time for another visit. I was sometimes worried what was happening leaving the two AI's alone with each other, but I couldn't babysit them 24/7.

I was getting close to our cottage again, when I halted. My augmented hearing had picked up a noise and my enhanced eyesight had picked up movement in the jungle around our cottage. I had been in combat long enough that my internal warning system was going off and that there was trouble coming…

I changed directions and headed into the jungle to come up behind the intruders…

* * *

Sojwa (Major) Ri Jung-Oh Kim of the North Korean 45th Special Reconnaissance Brigade was watching the cottage where his targets were located. He used his hands to signal to the rest of his team to move up and surround the cottage. The Major and the other 12 men in his commando squad had arrived ashore early this morning from a submarine. The major had received his orders directly from Chairman Kim Jong-il, The Chairman had explained that his late father the "Eternal President" Kim Il-Sung had appeared to him and had told him that there were two people that posed a threat to the Fatherland. The mission was to capture them and return them to North Korea for interrogation. If the targets resisted then "Direct Action" had been authorized.

The Major had seen movement in the cottage. He signaled and four of his men began to move in and to subdue the targets. The Major was not worried as all his men were hardened veterans of previous missions. If the targets did manage to resist the rest of the team would neutralize the threat…

Hasa (Sergeant) Choe Yong-ram and his three men moved up closer to the cottage. The Sergeant took a quick peak in one of the windows. He could see into the bedroom. He only saw one person and it appeared to be an attractive young woman. She appeared to be lying in bed. He could not see the other target which was supposed to be a male. The Sergeant was using hand gestures to communicate with his team on how they would enter and subdue the targets. The Sergeant heard movement in the cottage and risked another look. He saw the female get out of bed naked and walk to what appeared to be the bathroom. The Sergeant couldn't help but linger his gaze on the attractive body of the female. He noticed that the female had a small tattoo above her left breast. It was the number 113.

The Sergeant watched as the bathroom door closed and he heard the shower turn on. The Sergeant smiled as this would make it so much easier to subdue one of the targets. They would have to locate the second target after this.

The Sergeant opened the door to the cottage quietly and he entered followed by his men. They approached the bathroom door. The Sergeant signaled and one of his men opened the door and entered the bathroom. As they entered, they could see the shower curtain drawn around the tub and could hear the shower going. The Sergeant was an experienced veteran, but it still took him a moment to realize that no one was in the shower. That moment was long enough for Faith to pounce from the ceiling on to the four soldiers…

* * *

The first indication that the Major had that his plan was falling apart was the loud banging and crashing noises coming from inside the cottage followed by one of his men crashing through the wall of the cottage and lying in a heap on the ground. This was followed by the sounds of automatic weapons fire from inside the cottage.

The Major quickly called up the rest of his team on his headset to move in on the targets. He paused as he only got responses from four of his men instead of the eight…

* * *

I had moved quietly through the jungle to approach the cottage. I had spotted the first soldier. He was wearing all black and carrying an assault rifle. I paused to check for anymore soldiers and spotted two more soldiers outfitted the same as the first. They were focused on the cottage. I had to be quiet, but then again this was my specialty. I came up behind the first solder fast and quiet. He didn't even have time to register surprise or shock as I quickly snapped his neck. I stripped the assault rifle from the soldier. I noted that the soldier had oriental facial features. As I moved up to take out the next soldier, I saw a group of four soldiers enter our cottage. I would have to deal with that group last and hope that Faith would be alright. I had just taken out the fourth soldier when there was banging and crashing noises inside the cottage. I had to restrain myself from rushing in, but as I watched one of the soldiers crash through the cottage wall, I couldn't help but smile and shake my head. I knew I would have to move faster now. I had visual on the remaining soldiers as they moved up on the cottage as automatic fire sounded inside. Now I was worried and moved fast…

* * *

The Major moved fast as he had lost contact with four of his men and he still had three men inside the cottage with their status undetermined. The time for subtlety was over. The major and his remaining men moved in on the cottage. The Major signaled to one of his soldiers. That soldier pulled a grenade out to toss into the cottage. The Major realized that he would be killing his own men inside, but that was a reasonable cost for achieving the mission's objectives.

As the soldier pulled the pin on the grenade, a shot rang out from the jungle catching the soldier right in the head. The soldier fell to the ground dead and dropped the live grenade. The grenade went off with a loud explosion cutting down another soldier nearby.

The two remaining soldiers and the Major returned fire to where they thought the shot had come from. This was quickly followed by two more shots from the jungle taking out the two remaining soldiers with head shots leaving the Major alone to face what had killed his men.

The Major was a hardened veteran, but he had just had his whole commando team taken out in mere minutes and he hadn't seen any of the enemy. They Major switched his AK assault rifle to full auto and opened up on the jungle. He sprayed the jungle and screamed curses in Korean. His weapon suddenly clicked indicating that his magazine was empty. As the Major quickly moved to change the ammo magazine, he heard movement behind him. He quickly turned to face this threat, but all he had time to see was a fist smashing into his face followed by darkness…

* * *

I had taken out the 2 remaining soldiers and used my speed to move quickly through the jungle to circle around and behind the last soldier. From the way he was positioned and his equipment load out, I had deduced that this was the team leader and I wanted to take him alive to ask some questions. I moved in fast as he emptied his weapon in the jungle. I could see that he had become unnerved by the situation he was facing. As the remaining soldier was changing magazines I moved in and drove my fist into his face as he attempted to turn around. I turned and faced the cottage now. I moved closer to the cottage to check on Faith.

"Faith… How you doing in there?" I yelled.

"I'm 5 by 5… Are we clear outside?" Faith responded.

I let out a sigh of relief. Faith had used the password indicating it was clear. If she had used anything else it would have indicated trouble.

"We're clear out here…" I replied

I stepped up to the cottage door as it opened and was greeted by the sight of a completely naked Faith holding an automatic assault rifle. She had a few scratches and blood (not all her own) and what would surely be some nice bruises, but other than that she appeared to be fine.

I started to say something when I heard some vehicles roar up the roadway to the cottage. I could see them with my enhanced vision. They were black SUV's.

"Faith… You better put some clothes on… We're about to get a visit from some government types and I wouldn't want you distracting them as we discuss business…"

Faith started to turn and go back into the cottage to change

"Oh by the way…" I said causing Faith to stop and look at me, "…I do like the look."

Faith just smiled and winked at me and went back into the cottage to put some clothes on. I moved to secure those soldiers that were still alive as the black SUV's pulled up and a bunch of government type agents jumped out with weapons brandished.

I turned and faced the agents showing my hands in a non-hostile manner.

"What took you so long?" I said.

* * *

Agent Graham could only look around the scene with awe and amazement as the agents on his team worked to secure the scene with the same looks on their face as their team leader. Agent Graham had been briefed by his fellow agent Riley Finn about the Spartan, but to see him and what he was capable of was a completely different story.

Agent Graham was looking at a 13-man North Korean Special Forces commando unit that had been taken out in a few minutes by two people. What made the whole scene even more surreal was when Faith came out of the cottage wearing a sun dress and came up to Michael and asked if he and Agent Graham wanted anything cold to drink. They both declined and Faith kissed Michael on the cheek and smiled at Agent Graham and went back into the cottage. Graham was familiar with Faith's file and wasn't fooled by the show, but it added to the whole scene and Graham could only shake his head.

"How did you know it was us pulling up the driveway and not more North Koreans?" Graham asked.

"Well you do have that observation post 800 meters to the west in the jungle that has been recording us ever since we arrived here…" I said smiling at Agent Graham.

"How…How did you spot it?" Graham asked in shocked confusion.

"It's my job to spot those things… How do you think I've stayed alive for so long…" I replied.

"What I want to know is why these guys are after us and why you guys are watching us?" I asked.

Graham looked at the bodies of the dead North Koreans and the several live bound prisoners and shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know why the North Koreans sent a commando team after you and Faith… The navy is tracking the sub that brought them here…"

Graham turned and looked at me, "For us we are keeping tabs on you… You are the most dangerous man on the planet… The US government is concerned and it appears rightly so that something like this would happen…"

"So what's next?" I asked.

"Well we'll take these prisoners in for interrogation and see what shakes loose, but North Korean commandos are pretty hard core…" Graham replied.

"Do any of you men speak their language?" I asked.

"Hang on…" Graham turned and called out, "Jensen… You speak Korean don't you?"

An agent replied back, "Yeah… I did three tours in the ROK."

Graham turned back to me and asked, "What do you have in mind?"

"I need some answers and I can't wait… I have "some" experience with field interrogations." I said.

"Whoa there… I can't authorize this…" Graham said showing sudden worry and concern where this was leading.

"I'm not asking for permission…" I said leaving the rest unsaid.

"Where do you want to do this?" Graham asked giving in to my unstated threat.

I pointed to a spot in the jungle, "Take the leader there about 20 meters in. I have to get a few things…"

I saw Graham and the agent named Jensen go pick up the leader of the assault group and drag him into the jungle where I had pointed. I turned and went into the cottage. Faith was waiting for me inside.

"What are you doing?" she asked looking worried and concerned.

"I need to get some answers as to why they are here…" I replied.

I had grabbed a coat hanger from the closet and straightened it out. I was headed to the kitchen to get some more "equipment". I hadn't lied when I said I had experience doing field interrogations. That was unfortunately something I'd had a lot experience doing when I was fighting the separatists. It was my secret reason I had been glad that the war had started with the Covenant… I had hoped that it would've been a chance to get away from that type of work, but ONI still tasked me during the war to "resolve" certain issues left unsettled with the separatists. It wasn't work that I was particularly proud of, but war was never a clean business as I had been taught and learned by first-hand experience.

Faith pleaded to me "Michael… You don't need to do this… I know where you are heading and it is a dark road… I've been there and I'm begging you for my sake don't do this!"

I had taken a carving knife and some forks from the kitchen area.

Faith was behind me and she grabbed my arm, "Michael… Please don't do this!"

I could see the tears forming in her eyes. I knew what she was talking about. I knew that she was trying to save my soul. At that moment I knew that for all the time Faith and I had spent together and what we had gone through that she still didn't really know me…

She couldn't begin to imagine the death and suffering I had seen and been a part of. Whole cities and planets burned away without a concern or second thought by the Covenant. I had told her that we had lost over 20 billion people in the war with the Covenant, but that was just a number to her. I had seen the bodies… I had walked in the ashes that were the only remains of what were once human beings… I had seen and been a part of the desperate rear guard defenses where marines gave their lives without a second thought to buy more time for one more transport of civilians to be evacuated.

I did not need nor want my soul to be saved… I had no soul to be saved… I was a Spartan. My mission and oath were who I was.

Faith looked at Michael. She looked into his eyes. She begged him to not do this. She saw the sadness and pain in there, but she knew that there was love and compassion in there as well as he had shown Faith that part of him.

I shook off Faith's hold on my arm and walked out into the jungle. Faith followed me out and stood on the porch of the cottage where we had shared some wonderful moments together and she stared into the jungle.

After about ten minutes an ear piercing shriek came from the jungle where Michael had gone into. Faith could continue to hear muffled screams and cries. After another 10 minutes, Faith saw Agent Graham came running out of the jungle white as a sheet and throw up. Faith collapsed to the porch still leaning against the post and her tears flowed freely. Her tears weren't for herself she cried for Michael.

After another 10 minutes, Agent Jensen came out of the jungle also white as a sheet and walked over to Agent Graham who was still trying to recover. Faith watched and waited and after another five minutes, Michael came walking out of the jungle. Faith could see the blood on Michael's hands and the splatters on his body.

Faith watched as Michael came up to the cottage to go in to clean up. Michael stopped beside where Faith was sitting on the ground. He turned and looked down at her. At first Faith didn't want to look at Michael, but she still loved him. Faith looked up and looked into Michael's face and eyes. Faith remembered once what Adriana had told her about Michael, that the UNSC had made him to be a weapon. She then realized at that moment she didn't really know Michael at all.

Michael went into the cottage to clean up…


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

_**Somewhere over the Pacific – April 16, 2005 – 1235 Local Time**_

We were on a chartered private jet flying back to California and Sunnydale. The private jet was because there was no way I was going to get through regular airport security with my augmentation. I also couldn't see myself stuffing my body into the coach section. Private planes were a little less stringent on the security and there was more leg room.

Agent Graham offered to fly Faith and I home, but I did not feel like owing the US government any favors. I had already done them a favor. After my field interrogation of the North Korean Major, the other survivors of the commando unit quickly started talking to the US agents rather than face my questioning.

I looked over at Faith sitting in her seat. She had her legs up and her arms wrapped around them. She was staring out the window at the sky and the ocean below. She had barely said five words to me since I interrogated the North Korean commando. I knew that she was upset and mad at me. I had crossed some boundary, but I couldn't worry about that right now.

The Major had been most forth coming on his mission briefing and orders. Agent Graham didn't think much of it other than there may have been a security leak of information regarding us and the Battle of the Hellmouth. From the information provided by the Major, I had a bad feeling of what was going down.

I had been reviewing the interrogation and other events in my mind to try and look for anything I had missed. There was a pattern. I just didn't have enough information yet. I did what I been trained to do when trying to figure out a problem. I cleared my mind and started to meditate. I let my mind float free and let my thoughts come. I sat for some time, but I still had no pattern of what was happening, but I knew who was behind the attack.

I opened my eyes. I had lost track of time. I looked over and Faith was watching me. I tried to make eye contact with her, but she refused to meet my gaze.

"Faith…" I said.

"Why Michael?" Faith asked.

That shook me. That was the question I always asked in my reoccurring dream where I was surrounded by my brother and sister Spartans… Why?

"Because it had to be done…" I said.

"That's an excuse… It's not a reason" Faith said with anger building in her voice.

I thought I was getting a better understanding of why Faith was angry at me. She loved me and she placed me on top of a pedicle and had all these romantic notions of how brave and valiant I was. I was too old for such idealism… The real heroes were already dead… I survived because I did what needed to be done to complete the mission.

"I don't know what I can say or do… I can't change what happened." I said trying to reach out to her. It was hurting me to see her like this.

Faith spoke to me as she turned her head to look out the window as the ocean passed underneath us, "Things are different now… I thought I knew you and then you perform some torture routine… I told you about what I faced when I was a prisoner in that castle…"

I recalled everything she had told me when her and her team had been captured by a bunch of demons when trying to find me.

Faith continued speaking, "From what I saw you could have given that Paymon bastard a run for his money in a torture competition. Hell... I think he even could have picked up a few pointers from you…"

I knew now she was just trying to hurt me to make her hurt and pain go away. I was at a lost on how to deal with this. Emotional and relationship training had not been on the curriculum for Spartan training.

We were going to be back in the US in a couple of hours and I needed Faith to focus on what we were facing. I approached the problem like I always faced a problem.

"Are you done with this pity party?" I said abruptly.

This shocked Faith as she hadn't expected this response. "Wha…What are you talking about?" she said.

"I mean this moaning… I've known first year marine cadets that were less squeamish and whiney than you. You faced battle before and you've killed before…" I said harshly.

Faith started to protest and I cut her off, "I know your history so don't blow me any of your self-righteous crap about what I did or didn't do... I did what needed to be done and I was able to get information about what we are facing…"

Faith had her arms folded. I could see that I had made her angry and defensive as she folded her arms across her chest. I had ventured into her personal history and she was not happy about me throwing it in her face. I couldn't worry about that. I needed to have her focused.

"So what are we facing?" Faith asked in a slight sarcastic tone.

"The First is back…" I replied.

* * *

In retrospect I should have seen this coming. I had pissed in The First's proverbial cornflakes and it wanted payback now. My problem was how do you fight something that has no form to grab a hold of? I needed to see Adriana and Virgil. They might be able to provide me with something I could use. I would have to talk to Giles to see what information he had on The First that I could take to Adriana and Virgil.

I had become too distracted and contented with Faith and that we were building some kind of life together. But the more I thought about it I had to wonder what kind of life Faith and I would have together. There were always going to be some evil demon or entity that would be threatening us or the world… I had turned my back on my universe and the UNSC to stay with Faith. I think that was what my dreams were trying to tell me… I still had questions and wondered about my universe and if my human race was still even around. I knew what I had to do. I just didn't know how Faith would react when I told her.

After I had told Faith about the information on the attack on us, I could see some of the anger towards me leave her eyes and she became more focused on the problem facing us, but I didn't know how long or if ever we would get back to anything close to normal.

Our plane was preparing to land in Sunnydale, I had called ahead to arrange a pick up for us. I hadn't told anyone in Sunnydale about the attack or The First. I had just said that Faith and I were coming back early.

As we disembarked the plane, I could see Xander and Anya waiting in the charter terminal. Faith and I hadn't taken much in the way of luggage and we quickly cleared customs. Faith and I made our way to them.

* * *

Xander and Anya had volunteered to pick up Michael and Faith at the airport. They had been hanging around the charter terminal and watched as the private plane pulled up.

Anya sighed, "Xander… Why can't we travel somewhere nice on our own private jet?"

"Actually I hadn't given it much thought… How about I ask Michael if I can borrow his credit card and the keys to the jet…" Xander replied with his usual sarcasm.

"I'm serious Xander… When will we get to go on a tropical holiday?" Anya replied.

"Can we discuss this later… Here comes Faith and Michael." Xander said thankfully putting off the discussion.

"For a couple that was in a tropical paradise, Faith doesn't look very happy…" Anya observed.

"Yeah… Something's wrong." Xander said agreeing with Anya's observations.

Xander saw Michael's face and most times the Spartan wasn't noted for showing a lot of emotions around people, but he always looked happy when he was with Faith. Now he had a serious look on his face. Faith looked upset and angry and that was never a good sign.

"I wonder what Michael did to piss off Faith…" Anya said.

"I don't know but whatever it was it had to have been majorly serious." Xander replied.

Other than the normal greeting courtesies and some small talk, the drive back to the warehouse was quiet. Michael didn't provide much info other than they needed to get back to the warehouse and that there needed to be a meeting called with all the major players present.

Xander had a feeling that something bad was coming their way…

* * *

When the group arrived back at the warehouse, Michael called a meeting and Buffy, Giles, Willow, Kennedy, Xander, Anya and Faith were present. Spike was off in Los Angeles doing some work with Angel.

Buffy was concerned and puzzled over why Faith and Michael had come back nearly a week early from their trip and now calling a meeting. Buffy noted the tension between Faith and Michael and how upset Faith was looking. Buffy made a note that she would have to try and talk to Faith to find out what was going on.

Michael called the meeting to order. He didn't waste any time going into a description of the attack on Faith and him by the North Korean commando unit. Michael outlined the information he had obtained (while skipping over the details of how he had obtained them). He provided his theory of who he thought was behind the attack.

Everyone at the table (for the exception of Faith) was shocked to hear about the attack, but there were doubts as to Michael's theory of who was behind the attack.

Giles was the first to voice his doubts, "Aren't you being a little presumptuous in assuming that The First was behind orchestrating against you and Faith?"

Buffy added, "Yeah, it seems like a big jump from commandos to The First…"

I outlined my thought process of why I believed The First was behind arranging this attack, "It's just too coincidently that the Leader of North Korea had a vision from his dead father warning about us…" I said.

"Yes I can see where you are going, but it is circumstantial evidence at best…" Giles responded.

"I know the evidence is flimsy, but I have learned to go with my gut feelings and right now they are screaming that The First is involved…" I replied.

"If that's so… What can we do? It's not like we can kill something that doesn't have solid form." Xander spoke up.

"First thing is that we need to be on our guard for any more attacks." I said.

"And the second thing?" Buffy asked.

"I'm going to go and visit Adriana and Virgil… Between the two of them they might be able to come up with something we can use against The First." I replied answering Buffy's question.

I continued, "Giles I need everything you have on The First that I can take to Adriana and Virgil for them to review."

Giles replied, "There's not much information about the First other than what we already know, but I will get what we have together."

"Thanks Giles." I said.

Faith surprised everyone by asking, "When are you leaving and how long will you be gone?" It wasn't so much the question she asked, but the tone she used when asking it. Everyone picked up on the tension between Faith and me. Everyone suddenly got very uncomfortable and started looking around.

"As soon as Giles has the information together and I've had a chance to grab a couple of hours shuteye and do a systems check on my suit. I could be gone a few days or longer. It depends what Adriana and Virgil can provide." I replied looking at Faith.

With that out of the way, the meeting adjourned and everyone started to leave. I had remained behind in the conference room and Faith remained sitting until we were the only two left in the room. I had seen everyone look back and whisper amongst themselves, but I didn't really care about any gossip.

Faith waited until the last person had left and the door closed before speaking, "So when were you planning to tell me you were going to visit Adriana and Virgil? Were you even going to ask me to come with you?"

"I just told you… For me going by myself… I didn't think you would want to be around me right now…" I replied.

I could still see the anger and pain in Faith's eyes as she spoke, "Maybe you're right… Maybe we need some time a part. I know I need to think some things through… I'm going to move into a different room for now… I wouldn't want my squeamish and whiney behavior as you put it to bother you."

I watched as Faith got up and left the room leaving me by myself…

* * *

_The young woman was upset when she had learned about the attack on Michael and Faith that her "brother" had planned. Though the woman couldn't figure out if she was more upset about Michael's life being put in jeopardy or that Faith hadn't been killed._

_Now Michael and Faith were back in Sunnydale. The gossip going around was that something happened between Michael and Faith as she had moved out of the quarters that they were sharing. Faith was off alone and also according to the info the woman had been able to find out, Michael would be traveling to that alternate universe to meet with those AI's and that would leave Faith here alone and unprotected._

_Even though the young woman's "little brother" had failed to remove Faith, it hadn't been a total loss. It looked like Michael and Faith's relationship was imploding and that was going to present her with the opportunity to get closer to Michael as she had always wanted._

_The young woman shivered excitedly at the thought of being with Michael…_

_"__Ahem…" The image of the young woman's long dead little brother said._

_The young woman looked at her dead brother._

_"__There is no guarantee that Faith and Michael won't work out their "issues". You should still plan on removing Faith from the picture." said the image._

_"__Agreed... What do you have in mind?" said the young woman._

_The image of the brother smiled and said, "I can arrange for more demons and vampires to come into Sunnydale while Michael is away. It will create the opportunity for Faith to be removed from the picture."_

_"__Sounds like a plan." replied the young woman._

_"__There is one thing though…" the image said._

_"__What?!" said the young woman becoming exasperated with her brother._

_"__I require a sacrifice… a blood sacrifice… One or two of the potentials should suffice." said the image of the brother._

_The young woman became apprehensive and worried about what her brother was asking. "I… I… I don't know if I can do it." The young woman stammered._

_"__If you want to be with Michael… You will do this! Just bring the potential or potentials to where the Hellmouth is covered over… The rest will be easy." said The First posing as the long dead boy._

The young woman was interrupted by a knock on her room door. The door opened and Kylie poked her head in.

"Are you coming to watch the movie?" Kylie said looking at the young woman.

"Are you okay? I thought I heard voices talking in here." Kylie asked with some concern.

"Everything's fine... I'll be right there in a moment." Stacy replied smiling.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The next morning I was doing a systems check on my battle armor in the armory. It had been a while since I had worn the suit. I thought of how good it would be to armor up. It was something familiar and I could rely upon. It wasn't shaky and changing like my relationship with Faith was right now.

I was going through my checks and about to suit up, when Willow came in unannounced.

"Hey Willow." I said looking up from my armor.

"Hey Michael… Do you have a few minutes? I really need to ask you something." Willow spoke with emotion in her voice.

Willow's tone caught my attention "Okay… What did you want to ask?" I said with some hesitation because of Willow's tone.

"You remember when I tried opening that portal for you to go through to rescue Faith?" Willow said.

"Yes… I haven't forgotten about that." I replied.

"Did you feel anything when you stepped into the circle and said those words that helped me to open the portal?" Willow asked.

I could see that something was troubling Willow. "Yeah… I felt a surge of energy and power. I still can't find the words to describe it. Did you feel something?" I asked.

"Yes… I… I… I saw everything that you have lived… I absorbed every experience you ever had." Willow stammered back.

I didn't know what to say. What do you say to something like that?

Willow and I just looked at each other.

Willow broke the silence first, "How do you live with all of it? Everything you have seen and done… How do you live with it?"

I could see the tears forming in Willow's eyes. I'd had forty years to learn to live and cope with what I have seen and done. Willow had absorbed everything in a moment and wasn't able to cope with it.

Willow continued almost pleading, "What is your secret? I know that you have to know some way or something I can do to make this go away! I can't sleep because I'm afraid of dreaming… I close my eyes and I see all of it."

I looked at Willow and all I could feel was sadness for her. I had no secret or special insights in how to deal with the pain and suffering.

"I have no secret…" I began saying, "…I remember it all. I handle it because I don't forget. I remember every face and every moment. I can't provide you any more advice than that."

Willow had tears streaming down her face, "I don't know if I can handle it…"

"Yes you can!" I said. "I know you. You have strength in you Willow… You survive each day because you have to… You have Kennedy and you both love each other. That is a precious gift. Enjoy it and honor it."

I leaned in and hugged Willow as it seemed the right thing to do. I could feel her body heave from the sobbing.

"It's okay to feel… It's okay to cry…" I said as Willow continued sobbing.

* * *

I was in the training area getting ready to use the Forerunner inter-dimensional recall device to open a portal back to the universe where Adriana and Virgil were located. I was leaving much later than I planned, but considering the circumstances I didn't really mind. Everyone was there to see me off except for Faith. Her absent was conspicuous. I had knocked on her room door before I came down to the training area. I didn't get any answer. I didn't want to leave Faith with so much unsaid, but I couldn't wait until she decided she wanted to talk to me.

I told everyone that I would be back as soon as possible and to make sure that they didn't let their guard down. I had a private word with Buffy and asked if she could keep an eye on Faith for me. I took one last look around. I met Willow's gaze and I nodded to her.

I decided that it was time and I activated the recall device. Everyone stood back as a portal opened up around me and then I was gone…

* * *

Faith had gone to the warehouse roof. It was a beautiful spring day. Faith needed some alone time. When she got up on the roof all she could think about was all the time her and Michael had spent up here when they first met. They would sit up here and look at the stars and talk. She wished she could turn the clock back to that time.

She just couldn't understand why she was so angry and sad. A part of her understood why Michael had done what he did, but she was having all these intense emotions. She felt that Michael shouldn't have crossed that line. He was better than that.

Faith knew that Michael was leaving and she wanted to say good-bye, but she couldn't face Michael… not yet at least.

Faith stood holding herself just staring off past the warehouse security fence. Faith had lost track of time and was startled when she heard a voice behind her.

"Faith?"

Faith turned and saw Willow walking up towards her. "Huh… Hey Willow."

"I didn't see you at breakfast or lunch…" Willow said.

"Not really hungry right now… I must be coming down with something… I've been feeling kind of queasy." Faith said.

"Michael has left…" Willow said.

"Yeah I figured as much…" Faith replied.

"Did you want to talk about it?" Willow asked.

"Are you sure you want to hear about it? You may not like what you hear. It's pretty gruesome." Faith said with a smirk.

"You would be surprised what I would define as gruesome these days." Willow replied with a smirk of her own.

Faith just shrugged and proceeded to tell Willow about the attack by the North Korean commandos on herself and Michael. Faith told Willow about how Michael had "questioned" the leader of the attack. Faith was sure that Willow would be disturbed by the description of what Michael had done, but Willow just looked at her with a stony look on her face. Faith could have sworn that for a moment that Willow gave her a look like Michael would have. Faith shrugged it off and continued.

"I begged him not to do it. I didn't want him to go down the same road I went down. I watched him torture another human being. I looked at him and it was like I didn't even know who he was. I have to wonder sometimes if he has any human emotions."

Willow had been listening to Faith describe what had happened and as she listened, Willow got angry. Willow wasn't angry with Michael or herself. Willow was angry with Faith and what she said about Michael. When Willow heard Faith say the last part questioning whether Michael had any human emotions, she snapped.

"You sanctimonies bitch!" Willow yelled at a shocked Faith.

Willow continued her tirade at Faith, "How dare you question if Michael has emotions… He has emotions. You will never even come close to understanding the burden he has had to carry. He's here because of you! He's turned his back on his universe… his mission and his oath all for you!"

Faith was taken aback by Willow's outburst at her.

"How would you know what Michael feels?" Faith asked testily.

"I know everything he has felt and experienced his whole life." Willow replied.

Willow explained what had happened between her and Michael with the portal spell. Faith could only stare as Willow explained what had happened and how she had absorbed the Spartan's lifetime of experiences, memories and feelings.

Willow continued, "I know that Michael has told you some of what he has gone through and done, but do you really understand it? He comes from a universe where people are dying and they are screaming out for someone to save them and Michael and his fellow Spartans are the only ones that can do it. They keep fighting even though they know they are losing because they refuse to give up… It's not in their nature."

"Do you think he enjoyed torturing that prisoner?" Willow asked Faith.

"I don't think… No… No he didn't enjoy it." Faith said as she recalled the look in Michael's eyes that day.

"He has to live with what he did and has done… He lives each day and he never forgets." Willow said.

Faith had tears in her eyes as she was now getting a better understanding of Michael. "How does he manage it? Why does he do it?" Faith asked.

"Because he is a Spartan and it's what's needed from him…" Willow responded.

* * *

I arrived in the Forerunner installation transport room. I was immediately greeted by the floating orb and cheerful voice of Virgil and then the holographic form of Adriana appeared.

"Hello Michael." both AI's said greeting me simultaneously.

"Hello Adriana… Hello Virgil… Good to see you both again."

Adriana spoke first, "Good to see you as well. We have missed you. Did Faith not come with you?"

"She decided to stay behind this time…" I said uncomfortably.

Adriana now had a worried look on her face as she had detected my discomfort, "Michael is everything all right between you and Faith?"

I sighed as it was hard keeping secrets from Adriana, "I don't know… But I have other major problems right now and I need both of you to put your brains together and see if we can find a solution."

Virgil spoke, "We would be both glad to provide whatever assistance we can. What is the problem you are having?"

I proceeded to explain about the attack on Faith and myself, but leaving out the personal relationship items. I informed both Adriana and Virgil that I believed that the attack was planned by The First and I needed to find something that I could use to fight back against it.

"This may take some time for both of us to analyze and create study models." Virgil said.

"No problem… I'm not really in a rush to go back." I replied.

I saw Adriana get a worried frown on her face and I knew that I would be answering some questions from her later.

"I'm going to store my armor and wander around. I may go over to the village to visit everyone there a little later…" I said as I left the transport room to go to one of the lab areas to get out of my armor.

After Michael had left and the door had closed on the transport room, Virgil turned towards Adriana's holographic form.

"When are you going to tell him?" Virgil asked with concern.

"I will tell him later… This is not the right time." Adriana said sadly.

"When is it ever the right time?" replied Virgil sadly.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

_**Sunnydale, California – April 19, 2005 – 1639 PST**_

Buffy had gathered everyone in the common area for a meeting. As soon as everyone arrived Buffy began speaking.

"There have been reports of increased vampire activity and attacks in Sunnydale…" Buffy said.

This started everyone to talk and murmur amongst themselves.

Buffy continued, "I'm not sure why this has started as it has been very quiet for over a year, it is possible that it could be related to the attack on Faith and Michael a few days ago. Nevertheless we need to start patrolling to try and keep a lid on this situation. You will go out in four person teams and have a patrol area. Giles and I have posted the list of teams and their patrol areas on the bulletin board.

"Remember… Keep a low profile, but protect yourselves." Buffy added finished up her speech.

* * *

Buffy was in her room after the meeting. She was just relaxing until patrolling later tonight.

"I guess the quiet times couldn't last forever." thought Buffy.

Buffy's thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her door. "Come in…" Buffy said.

The door opened and Faith walked in.

"Hey Faith… What's up?" Buffy asked.

Faith replied, "I think you know… I was just checking the patrol teams and schedules and I…"

"…am not on any of the lists." Buffy said finishing Faith's statement.

"Yeah, what's up with that? Last time I checked I was still a Slayer… B." Faith said trying to hold back her anger and frustration.

Buffy saw that Faith was upset, so she had to choose her words carefully. "The reason that you are not patrolling is that right now you are distracted and unfocused. In the state of mind you are in, you could get yourself or someone else hurt or killed…" Buffy said in a calm voice.

"Did Michael put you up to this?" Faith said as she tried to control her seething emotions.

Buffy replied, "I'm not going to lie to you… Michael did ask me to keep an eye on you, but this has nothing to do with it…"

Buffy continued, "I don't know what's going on between you and Michael, but you guys need to work it out… Faith… Michael is the best thing that is ever happened to you. You two were meant for each other…"

Faith just shook her head, "I don't know B. I've been on a rollercoaster ride of emotions for the last couple of weeks. I was so happy when we were in Tahiti and since the attack on us I have just been so pissed off."

"Are you feeling alright? Buffy asked with concern.

"I don't know… It could be something I ate or maybe its jet lag… I'm not sleeping well and been feeling queasy… Maybe you're right… If I can get some rest I'll be back to my old self." Faith said shaking her head.

"If you need anything Faith… Just ask." Buffy said.

"Thanks B." Faith said as she left the room.

After Faith had left the room, there was something that was nagging at the back of Buffy's mind.

"Nah… That's crazy." Buffy said to herself quickly dismissing the thought.

* * *

I had stored my armor and had settled into my room. It hadn't changed. There was still the balcony with the view of the lake and forest. I could feel a gentle breeze blow into the room. I was stretched out on the bed. My mind was racing as I was still thinking of Faith and what was happening with us. I needed to figure out what to do. I was in unchartered territory and I had no frame of reference. This wasn't an objective that I could take or something I could shoot or blow up. I'd had comrades and friends before, but this was different… this was a _relationship_. I felt helpless and that was a feeling I hated.

I tried to look at the problem objectively, but then I would think of Faith and see her smile and any rational thought left the room…

I was laying there with my mind wandering when I heard a female voice call my name.

"Michael?"

"Yes Adriana… What's up? Any answers yet?" I replied.

Adriana's holographic form appeared in the room. "Nothing yet… We are still analyzing data and running scenario models… I thought I would check up on you… Is there something wrong between you and Faith?" Adriana asked with genuine concern.

I explained everything that had happened with and between Faith and me to Adriana.

"I don't know how to respond or deal with this "situation". I'm out of my element here." I said frustrated.

Adriana smiled at me, "Remember your training? Do you remember what Chief Petty Officer Mendez told you about dealing with uncertainty and the unknown?"

I sighed. "Yes… Adapt and overcome, but does this apply to me in this type of situation?" I asked.

"Why wouldn't it?" Adriana asked.

"Faith is not an objective to take or capture…" I said.

"But you do have goals and objectives you want to achieve being with her?" Adriana stated.

"That's the problem… I don't know where this is headed. I'm a Spartan and I have only been trained for and have experienced combat. I don't see myself in any normal human type job or lifestyle. What do I do?" I asked showing my frustration and confusion.

"Live your life Michael… That's what you do." Adriana told me with a sad smile.

"I don't know if I'm capable of that… I'm thinking that I made the wrong decision… I'm feeling guilty that I haven't gone home… I have betrayed my oath and mission… How can I live my life and be happy with Faith with that hanging over me?" I said to Adriana.

"Don't make any rash decisions right now Michael…" Adriana cautioned.

"You know me Adriana…" I replied smirking.

"Exactly… I do know you." replied Adriana with her own smirk.

"Just relax for now Michael… Virgil and I will find a solution to the problem with The First." Adriana said.

"Thanks Adriana… I don't know what I would do without you." I said smiling to Adriana's holographic form.

"I have always tried to look out for you Michael." Adriana replied back with her own smile.

* * *

The potentials had gone out on their patrols for the evening. As Buffy had planned the groups were going out in 4 person groups. The patrol groups were to prevent any further vampire attacks, but they had to maintain a low profile to not attract any unwanted attention from the authorities. This low profile did not mean that the groups were not prepared to deal with any situation.

Kylie led her group of potentials on their patrol route. It was a quiet out. Kylie looked over at Stacy and she was more quiet than usual. She had been worried about Stacy ever since they had gotten back from that demon dimension and had been captured and held prisoner in that castle. Stacy had nearly been dragged off and raped if it hadn't been for Faith and then Stacy had almost had her throat cut by demon priests if it hadn't been for the timely (and admittedly spectacular) arrival of Michael to rescue them.

Since they got back, Kylie couldn't help but notice that Stacy had become more focused and driven in her training. She had become very proficient in firearms and hand to hand combat. Even though Stacy had become one of the top rated potentials, there was something troubling Stacy. Kylie had tried to engage her and draw Stacy out, but Stacy would always just say nothing was wrong.

Kylie checked on the rest of her patrol team. There was Jessica and Audrey. They both were keeping an eye out for any signs of vampire activity.

The group was getting close to the end of its patrol route. Stacy said to Kylie, "Can we take a detour by the Hellmouth on the way back? I think we should check it out just in case."

Kylie was a little of hesitant, but it wouldn't probably hurt to check it out and see if there was any activity that they could report back.

"Sounds good Stacy, but we'll take it carefully and just go in for a quick look." Kylie replied.

The group detoured towards the location where the Hellmouth use to exist before it had been collapsed in on itself when Michael detonated a nuclear warhead to close it off from the world.

As the patrol got closer to the Hellmouth, Kylie started getting a bad feeling, she felt like they were being watched.

Jessica halted and whispered loudly, "I've got movement in front of us!"

Audrey whispered, "I've got movement on our right!"

By this time Kylie heard movement on their left. "Damn! They are trying to surround us! Form up in a circle! We'll shoot our way out!"

The women formed up in a circle to cover each direction. Kylie could see the vampires gathering and moving in closer to them.

"Wait till they are closer and then short controlled bursts and then we make a run for it!" Kylie yelled to the other women.

"Get ready…" Kylie said with a look of anticipation. "Fire!" Kylie yelled.

Kylie pressed her trigger and all she heard was "Click… Click…"

Kylie heard clicking sounds from the other potential's weapons. Kylie got a sickening horrible feeling as she now felt defenseless.

"Draw your knifes!" Kylie yelled.

"I don't think so." A voice suddenly said in a plain tone.

Kylie turned along with Jessica and Audrey and they were facing Stacy, who had her weapon pointed at the three potentials.

"Drop your knifes… I have the only working gun here…" Stacy said.

Stacy had checked out and handed the guns to the women in the armory. They hadn't noticed that Stacy had removed the firing pins from each of their weapons except for hers.

The vampires were closing in on the women.

"For the love of god Stacy! What's going on? Fire at the vampires!" Kylie pleaded to Stacy.

Jessica and Audrey were pleading at Stacy as well.

The vampires came closer as Stacy had her back turned to them. The vampires gathered around the three potentials standing in shock and grabbed them and quickly disarmed them.

Kylie could only look at Stacy in shock and horror. "Why? I thought we were friends?" Kylie said with fear and panic and anger mixed in her voice.

Kylie thought she saw a hint of sadness in Stacy's eyes, but there was else something there that she hadn't noticed before.

"I'm sorry it had to be you Kylie… I liked you, but this is necessary so that I can be with Michael…" Stacy said.

"Michael? Be with him? What are you talking about?" Kylie said with panic confusion.

"I'm the only one that truly loves and understands Michael and we are meant to be together… By this sacrifice we will be together… He will love and protect me!" Stacy said not really looking at Kylie or the other potentials now.

Kylie and the other two potentials begged and pleaded for Stacy to stop this. Kylie looked again at Stacy and she recognized the look in Stacy's eyes. She saw the obsession and madness that was in Stacy.

Stacy turned to one of the vampires. "You can do what you want to those two…" Stacy said as she pointed at Jessica and Audrey.

Kylie had tears rolling down her face as she heard the screams of the two women as they were consumed and ripped apart by the vampires.

Kylie turned and looked at Stacy. Stacy stepped closer with a sad look. "I wish it hadn't been you… I would rather have it been Faith here than you… But, that bitch will die soon enough!"

Kylie was trying to think of something to say to buy some more time when Stacy pulled her combat knife and slashed Kylie's throat in one quick slash.

Kylie could only look at Stacy and gurgle as her blood drained from her body on to the ground of the Hellmouth. Kylie's last vision before the darkness took her was of Stacy with a sad smile and the crazed look in her eyes…

* * *

Stacy looked at the dead body of her former friend and comrade. The vampires had feasted and torn apart the other two women.

The image of Stacy's dead brother appeared.

"You did excellent work Sis!" said The First posing as Stacy's dead brother.

"I only wished it had been Faith here rather than Kylie." said Stacy with sadness and frustration in her voice.

"That bitch's time will come soon enough." replied The First.

"So what's next?" asked Stacy.

"Well… Michael and Faith's relationship is on shaky ground… We just need to give it a further push off the cliff." said the smiling image of the long dead boy.

"And how do I do that?" Stacy asked again.

"Well when you get back… Check your email… There will be an email from someone that I have visited and that owes me a favor." said The First.

"What's in the email?" asked a now curious Stacy.

"Let's just say that there will be a link to a website that has some interesting video of Faith and how she spent some of her time in LA when she thought Michael was dead… I think Michael would be most interested to see how Faith "mourned" when she thought he was dead…" The First said smiling.

Stacy started smiling too, "So when Michael sees the video and leaves Faith, I can be his friend and comfort him and then move in…" She said.

"Exactly… What might even help advance your cause is to let Faith know anonymously of the video's existence… She might do something rash to help your cause."

Stacy kept smiling at the thought of her plan coming together.

The image of Stacy's dead brother interrupted her thoughts. "We have to take care of one bit of business first…"

Stacy looked at The First with some confusion, "What's that?" he asked.

"Your cover story for this attack… We want you to be injured enough to pass any scrutiny… These "associates" will make sure that you are injured enough to illicit sympathy and deflect any suspicion, but nothing permanent or too serious…" The First said smiling at Stacy.

Stacy had a brief look of fear and panic, but then she realized the necessity of it for her to achieve her goal of being with Michael, she started to smile.

The First barked at the vampires, "Make it look good! Nothing fatal or anything permanent… Understand!"

The vampires nodded their understanding and moved in closer to surround Stacy to perform their task…Stacy still had the smile and crazy look in her eyes.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

I had returned from a visit to the village. It had been a slightly strange visit. Everyone had been glad to see me, especially Adahy and the rest children in the village. When I went to visit Tala and her husband Maska, I could detect some tension and resentment from Maska when I arrived at their hut. Tala looked beautiful as always. She was pregnant and from my field medical training she looked to be in the final trimester and due very soon. I asked how she was feeling and she said that the Guardian had been keeping an eye on her and that she was doing well.

I stayed and visited for a while and Tala and I talked. She had asked about Faith and I had (to my shame) lied about how we were doing. I just didn't want to get into any long discussions about that aspect of my life at that moment.

As I was walking back to the installation and I replayed the conversation with Tala over in my mind, I got the nagging feeling that she had wanted to tell me something important, but I couldn't figure it out. My main focus and concentration was on my problems dealing with The First and with Faith. I guess the next time I visited Tala she would probably tell me. I reminded myself to follow up with Virgil to make sure he continued to keep an eye on Tala and the baby to make sure that they both stayed healthy. It was the least I could do for her.

* * *

I had arrived back at the installation and had grabbed a bite to eat. I was sitting relaxing afterwards when Adriana appeared and Virgil came into the room.

"What's up?" I asked.

Virgil spoke first, "Michael… Adriana and I have finished our analysis of the problem on how to combat The First."

"That's great! Tell me what you've got." I said excitedly.

Adriana spoke, "From the information you provided and the readings I took from our encounters with The First we have determined that The First is a being that is only resident in the universe it resides in. We believe that The First is an actual creature that does exist but is out of phase with everything else in its universe."

"This would explain how The First can manipulate its image and appear as people who have died as it can seem to detect and absorb the brain wave signals of those that die. "Virgil added.

"This is great, but how do I bring The First into phase with everything else so that I can fight it?" I asked.

Virgil continued, "Adriana and I have analyzed all known weapons available. We exempted Forerunner weapons as there is no armory located at this installation and I have no access to information on any Forerunner weapon caches…"

"And?" I said showing my slight impatience.

Adriana could detect my impatience growing, "The only way we found that could allow for The First to be brought into phase with the rest of its universe would require two parts. The first part would require using a Covenant Plasma pistol. Virgil and I would need to make some minor modifications to the pistol to adjust the frequency of the plasma charge. When you confront The First you will need to hold the trigger for a minimum of 5 seconds to build an overcharge and then fire at The First."

"Wouldn't the plasma shot pass right through The First?" I asked.

Adriana smiled and continued, "That is the beauty of this solution the plasma shot just needs to pass through The First. As the shot passes through, it would interact with The First's own EM field and create a temporary phase inversion field around The First. This would allow for the second part to come into play…"

"Which is?" I asked.

"I would need to scan the field frequency generated around The First and quickly adjust and tune your suit's shields to match the EM frequency. This would allow you to make physical contact and "interact" with The First." Adriana said smiling.

I smiled with anticipation at surprising The First with this, but then reality came rushing back.

"One problem with this plan… I don't have a Covenant Plasma Pistol here or back in the other universe." I said.

Virgil spoke, "Adriana and I are both aware of the situation that is why…"

"…I have to go back to my universe to obtain a weapon." I said finishing off Virgil's statement.

I looked at both of the AI's. "Are you sure about this?" I asked.

Adriana replied, "Yes Michael… We are more than 89.735% positive on this plan."

There it was. I was going back to my home universe. The problem was locating a specific type of weapon. It wasn't like I could just go anywhere, but I had an idea forming.

"Virgil… Can you target a specific location back in our home universe that you can open a portal that I can go through?" I asked.

"That should not be a problem Michael… As long as I have the spatial co-ordinates I can target anywhere to open an inter-dimensional portal from this installation." Virgil replied cheerfully.

"Excellent… Thanks Adriana… Thanks Virgil. I knew that you could find an answer." I said.

Adriana looked at me worriedly and asked, "Michael where are you planning on going?"

"There's only one place I can think of that would probably have a stash of Covenant weapons lying around…" I said.

* * *

Buffy was walking through the warehouse. She was angry and frustrated. The attack on one of their patrols several nights ago had killed three potentials and wounded a fourth. It was a minor miracle that Stacy had survived at all as Stacy had been badly beaten and cut up and had stumbled and collapsed into one of the other potential patrols. From what they had been able to get from Stacy was that their patrol had decided to check out the Hellmouth and they were jumped by a large group of vampires. Stacy said that if it hadn't been for Kylie, that she would probably be dead too as Kylie had stayed behind to cover her.

When Faith had found out about Kylie and Stacy being attacked she had gone out with Buffy to do a sweep for the missing potentials. When they got to the site of the attack, they had found the dead body of Kylie with her throat slashed and drained of blood and the remains of Jessica and Audrey. It was a pretty gruesome site. What was surprising about the situation was how Faith had reacted. When Faith saw the bodies of Kylie and the others she started crying and then threw up, which was totally out of character for Faith.

Buffy knew that Faith had seen and done a lot that was just as bad or worse, so to see this reaction from Faith was a little of unnerving to Buffy. What was worse was that it seemed that the vampire attacks were increasing. Several other patrols had barely fought off attacks with only minor injuries, but things were escalating.

With Michael away, Buffy needed Faith to be on top of her game and it appeared that something was going on. Buffy found herself in front of Faith's room and she knocked on the door.

There was no answer at first and Buffy knocked again. Buffy was about to walk away to come back later when she heard a voice.

"Come in."

Buffy walked in and saw Faith sitting on the edge of her bed staring at the desk and wall. Buffy closed the door behind her.

Buffy began speaking, "Faith I don't know what's wrong, but you've got to snap out of it… We… I need you as things are falling apart out there."

Faith continued just sitting and staring almost like she didn't even take notice that Buffy was in the room.

Buffy was getting angry now with Faith, "Damn it!" Buffy said as she raised her voice. "What the hell is wrong with you? Buffy demanded.

"I'm pregnant…" Faith said in a quiet voice.

Buffy felt as if everything had come to a screeching halt and she had been slapped in the face.

All that Buffy could manage to say was "Oh…" in a quiet voice.

Buffy sat down on the bed next to Faith and that is when she finally noticed what Faith was staring at. On the desk there was a home pregnancy test strip and it was showing a positive indication.

After what seemed like an eternity, Buffy spoke, "When? How? It's Michael's?" she asked in a very confused voice as she was still trying to take in Faith's announcement.

Faith looked at Buffy as if she was crazy, "Of course its Michael's… The how… You know that as well I do. When could have been several weeks ago… I'm not sure." Faith said.

"Weren't you taking any precautions?" Buffy asked with some embarrassment.

Faith replied sheepishly, "We took precautions most of the time, but there were a couple of times in the heat of passion that we "forgot"."

"How are you feeling?" Buffy asked with concern.

"I feel like crap… My emotions are all over the place… I can't eat in the morning and I'm having trouble sleeping at night… Other than that I'm peachy." Faith replied.

"I mean how do you feel about the baby?" Buffy asked again.

"I don't know…" replied Faith.

Faith continued, "I'm numb right now… I don't know how or what to feel… I didn't grow up with the best of parents or have the best childhood…"

Buffy just nodded and continued listening to Faith.

"I'm scared Buffy! I'm not ready for this… I never even thought about having a baby!" Faith said as tears started forming.

"Damn it! There go my emotions again!" Faith said with anger mixed in with her tears.

"Are you going to tell Michael? Are you going to keep the baby?" Buffy asked with concern for Faith's situation.

"I just don't know… We never even discussed having a family or trying to live a "normal" life. We were living for each moment together." Faith said.

"I don't know what to do Buffy?" Faith asked with her voice catching.

"We'll figure out something… Just remember I'm here for you." Buffy said as she leaned in to hug and hold on to Faith.

* * *

I was in one of the installation's labs and armoring up. I was going through a check of my systems when Adriana's holographic form appeared.

"Hi Adriana… Coming to see me off?" I said as I continued my checks.

"Michael… I need to talk to you." Adriana said in a serious tone.

I had known Adriana for a long time and I had picked up on the seriousness of her tone. I was now giving her my full attention. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"I… I… do not know how to say this?" Adriana said with a sad concerned look on her holographic face.

Now this had me worried as Adriana had always been able to tell me anything good or bad. "Just tell me… We have known each other for a long time and done too many things together to hold back now. "I said trying to reassure the AI.

"Michael… I am dying…" Adriana said in a matter of fact tone.

It took me a long moment for what Adriana said to register in my mind. All I could do was deny what the AI had just said.

"How can you be dying? You're an AI" I said still refusing to believe what I was hearing.

Adriana explained her situation, "Human designed AIs have a life span of only seven years. After that time the AI begins to deteriorate and suffers from what is called "rampancy". It is a form of AI psychosis. I have been active for nearly eight years…"

"Isn't there anything you can do? Virgil is a Forerunner AI… He must know some way of fixing you!" I said as I still refused to believe that my dearest and closest friend was going to die.

Adriana just gave me a sad look as she shook her head, "Virgil and I have already discussed this at length. The only procedure that we can attempt is a recompile and reindex of my neural net, but the problem is that there is only a 0.00982% chance of my personality matrix, which is everything that makes up who I am, surviving the process…"

I sat down in stunned silence. My mind was racing.

"How long do you have?" I asked unable to accept what was happening.

"A few weeks… Maybe 6 months tops…" Adriana said with sadness.

"What… What can I do? Is there anything I can do for you?" I asked still in shock.

"Yes Michael you can do something very important for me…" Adriana said.

"Anything… Just name it!" I replied.

"When the time comes… I need you to end my program…" Adriana asked.

"I… I… I can't do that!" I said in shock from what was being asked of me.

"Please Michael… You have to do this for me… I am already feeling my mind going and it's only going to get worse." Adriana pleaded.

I felt like I was six years old again and being brought in the auditorium with the other Spartan-II candidates and being told I would never go home or see my family again… I felt lost again. I wanted to scream and yell at the universe for the unfairness of it all…

Adriana could read me as we had been together for too long and she knew me well. "You have to be strong Michael… For both of us…"

I nodded to Adriana as I couldn't trust my voice to speak as I was a whirlwind of emotions. I would honor my friend's request as she deserved that much I could give her.

"Michael?" Adriana spoke again.

"Yes Adriana." I replied with sadness in my voice.

"There is one more thing I want to ask of you?" Adriana asked.

"Anything…" I said.

"I want you to live your life and be happy…" Adriana said smiling at me.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

I returned to the warehouse via a portal from the installation. Adriana had asked to accompany me on this return trip. She wanted to spend some time cleaning up and tidying up some loose ends before the end. I couldn't stand to hear her talk about her ending, but I couldn't refuse her request either.

I had asked what she needed to do. All she would tell me was that she wanted to make sure that everyone had been taken care of. Adriana had requested that I not tell everyone what was happening until closer to the end. It was bad enough that her predicament was distracting me. She didn't want it to distract everyone else.

We had discussed with Virgil before Adriana and I had left of what we were going to do to obtain the weapon we needed to battle The First. Virgil had suggested that I should just go and get the weapon and return. With there being a level of uncertainty and danger involved, I wanted to go back to see Faith first. In the event that something happened, I didn't want there being anything left unsaid between us.

I wasn't planning on telling anyone that we had found a weapon to use again The First. It wasn't that I didn't trust anyone in the warehouse, but The First had a way of finding out things like where Faith and I were staying in Tahiti. I wanted to make sure that when I faced The First that it would be in for a nasty shock.

When I arrived back in the training area of the warehouse, I was greeted by Willow and Xander. They brought me up to speed about the increasing vampire attacks and deaths. Buffy entered the training area and looked at me strangely as if she was judging me. I had no idea what that was about, but it probably had something to do with Faith. Maybe Buffy was taking Faith's side on the prisoner interrogation incident back in Tahiti. Either way I didn't have any time to waste further on that discussion. There was too much going on and it was hard enough concentrating on that.

I talked to Buffy and Giles. I told them that we didn't have a weapon or a defense yet against The First. I was just stopping back to check on everyone and I was going to portal back to Virgil's universe and keep looking for a solution. They seemed to buy my "white lie". My next stop would be harder.

I found myself at the door of Faith's room. I was still in full combat armor with my helmet on. I knocked on the door. I didn't get an initial response and I was hesitant to knock again. I was afraid… I was afraid of the uncertainty of what could happen. I shook my head to clear those thoughts and I knocked again.

This time I heard "Come in…"

I opened the door and walked in. I saw Faith lying on the bed looking up at the ceiling with her hands behind her head. I could see from her face that she had been contemplating something important.

"Hi Faith… I hope I'm not interrupting you…" I said sounding uncertain and awkward.

There was a moment of awkward silence and then Faith looked at me and then sat up on the bed.

"No… It's okay Michael." Faith replied.

Faith continued, "Did you find anything to use against The First?" she asked.

I was still wearing my helmet, so Faith couldn't see my face as I suddenly felt uncomfortable. I couldn't lie to her. She was affected by this as well.

"As far as anyone outside these doors knows, the answer is no, but Adriana and Virgil were able to find something to use against The First." I said.

That seemed to brighten Faith's mood as she looked at me.

"Don't get too excited. The only problem is that the weapon we need is not in this universe or the universe where Virgil is located…" I said.

Faith kept looking at Michael. He had his helmet still on. There was something going on and Faith suddenly got a very cold worried feeling. She looked hard at Michael trying to make eye contact with him through his visor. Faith was still trying to sort out her feelings about the pregnancy and now Michael was talking cryptically. It was easy for him to isolate himself from his feelings and everyone else. He had his armor to hide behind.

I could see Faith look at me and this made it harder for me. I wasn't built for feelings and relationships. It was so much easier to stay aloof and focus on the mission. Maybe that was my secret for coping. I remembered everything and everyone, but I had disconnected myself from feeling. Being with Faith had me now facing everything I had seen and done through my life. Having to think about and face that Adriana was dying made it even worse. I started to question whether I was even human anymore at that moment with Faith looking at me.

"So where is this weapon?" Faith asked dreading the response.

"I'm going back home… I'm going to Reach…" I said.

* * *

I could see the look of shock on Faith's face as I told her I was going back to my home universe. She knew about Reach from the stories I had told her. "Why Reach? Wasn't it destroyed by the Covenant?" she asked.

I said that Reach had been "glassed" by the Covenant wiping out all life on the planet, but the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) had a major installation on Reach called Sword Base. Even though the surface structure of the base was probably destroyed the majority of the installation was underground. From information I had before I came over to this universe, part of the base underground structure had been destroyed during the battle by demolition charges to prevent the Covenant from getting any information and tech. There were probably still portions of the base that were intact and accessible. I believed those portions would probably contain the weapon and supply caches that I needed to find.

Faith looked at me with worry and concern. "When are you leaving?" she asked.

I could see sadness in her eyes, "I want to go as soon as possible, but with the increased vampire attacks I thought I would patrol and try to stabilize the situation here. I'll probably leave here no later than 48 hours from now." I said.

"Are you even going to take off your helmet, so I can see you?" Faith asked.

I almost said no to Faith. I felt better and safer having the armor between us, but I loved her and I respected her too much to hide from her. I took my helmet off and held in my left hand.

As soon as I had my helmet off, Faith got a look at my face and eyes and her concern and worry increased. "What's wrong Michael? You look like shit!" Faith said with concern as she saw me.

I didn't know what to say. Thoughts were racing through my mind. Finally all I could think to say was "I'm sorry…"

Faith stood up and ran to me and wrapped her arms around me in my battle armor. She had tears in her eyes. "Michael… Don't go back to Reach… We can run and hide from The First… We can go anywhere… I'm afraid if you go you won't come back…"

Faith knew that I couldn't run and hide. It was against my nature and training. For some reason I needed to know that she was safe. I only knew of one place that The First couldn't get to her. "Will you come with me when I go back to the installation and Virgil and wait for me there?"

"Yes… I will come with you… I will always wait for you." Faith said trying to smile through her tears.

* * *

I went out that night hunting for vampires. I went alone. I wanted to release my anger and frustrations on something and vampires were the perfect target. I lost count of how many vampires I dusted after twenty.

I returned to the warehouse as the sun was coming up. I was tired and spent. I had released my rage and anger and now I wanted to sleep.

I came in the warehouse and it was still quiet. I provided Adriana an update on my patrol as I headed for my room. I could feel myself crashing and I skipped going to the armory to take off my armor. I would just do it in my room or I would just sleep in it. I hadn't decided yet. I opened the door and I was surprised to see Faith curled up on the bed. I could only watch her and smile. At that moment of seeing her asleep and how beautiful she looked, I remembered thinking that I had no soul… I was wrong… Faith was my soul.

I stripped off my armor and crawled into bed with Faith. As I got in beside her, Faith woke up and turned to face me. Faith just looked at me and then she reached for me and kissed me. I was tired but I wanted her and she wanted me.

Afterwards we lay there spent. I was staring at the ceiling still trying to figure out everything I was feeling. Faith was lying beside me and looking at me. I didn't know how I could tell her that Adriana was dying and how it was eating me up inside…

Faith was still trying to decide how she felt about the pregnancy let alone how she was going to tell Michael. She just couldn't add this to his plate right now with him going to Reach. She just wanted to be with Michael at that moment and not have to worry about everything that was going on around them.

* * *

Faith got up a few hours later and left Michael to sleep. Faith made her way through the warehouse and found Buffy having a late breakfast in the kitchen area.

As Faith sat down, Buffy asked how Faith was doing.

"I'm okay… I'm still not too hungry in the mornings." Faith replied.

"How are things with Michael? Have you told him yet?" Buffy asked.

"I think we'll be okay… But I haven't told him yet. I didn't want to add to his burden right now." Faith said.

"You have to tell him sooner or later. Sooner would be better than later when your condition becomes obvious." Buffy said.

"B… Something is going on. I can't say too much as Michael asked me to keep it quiet, but I will be going back with Michael." Faith said lowering her voice.

"Does this have anything to do with The First?" Buffy asked curiously in a lowered voice as well.

"Yeah... But there is something else going on that Michael hasn't told me. Whatever it is, it must be big and bad as it looks like it is eating him up inside. I can't have him worrying about me and a baby right now." Faith said.

"Anything else I can do for you Faith? Just ask." Buffy asked.

"Thanks B." Faith replied smiling.

* * *

Stacy had been in the kitchen area when Faith came in and walked over to talk to Buffy. Stacy had managed to recover quickly from the vampire "attack" to everyone's relief and was taking it slowly. Stacy watched and made her way nonchalantly towards the two Slayers. She managed to get within earshot of Buffy and Faith without drawing their attention.

Stacy picked up pieces of their conversation. Stacy started to get upset when it appeared that Faith and Michael were patching their relationship up, but it took all of Stacy's self-control to not scream and run from the kitchen area when she heard the word… _baby_.

Stacy walked at a fast pace back to her quarters. The whole time her mind raced at what was happening…

"That bitch is pregnant and carrying Michael's child! That should be me… How could this happen?" Stacy thought to herself furiously.

Stacy hurried into her quarters and as she closed the door. The First was standing in the middle of her room as the image of her dead little brother.

"Things not working out like you planned… huh?" said the smiling image.

"Damn it! They should be finished and now they are back together and that whore is now pregnant!" Stacy angrily vented.

The First kept smiling. Even though Stacy's plan was falling apart, The First's plan was still moving along. "I think it's time to send that email, but I feel that won't be enough…" said The First.

"Why not?" asked a desperate Stacy.

"Because you are not a Slayer… Michael is powerful and unless you are as strong as or stronger than Faith… I don't think that Michael will accept you as his lover." replied The First.

"Even if I kill Faith… There is no guarantee that I will be the next Slayer." Stacy reasoned out.

The First always smiling replied, "True… But I think that there is way that you can get the power you need…"

"How?" asked a desperate angry Stacy.

"You could become my vessel and I can give you some of my power and strength. This would make you more desirable to Michael once Faith was gone…" replied The First.

Stacy was a little leery of this offer of power, but without it she would probably lose any chance of being with Michael and her perfectly constructed fantasy world would come crashing down around her.

"If I accept your offer… Can I then kill Faith?" Stacy asked.

"I have given it much thought… If you just straight up and killed Faith, there is the possibility of being found out or that Michael would mourn by her graveside… No I think the best thing is to just make Faith "disappear" by dropping her into another dimension with no way back…" The First replied smiling as always.

Stacy smiled at the thought of that bitch and bastard child being lost forever in another universe. It filled her heart with joy the more she thought about it.

"What do I have to do?" Stacy asked while still smiling at her thoughts.

The First replied, "Just accept me and pledge yourself to be my servant and I will do the rest…"

Stacy spread her arms and raised her head and said with all her soul and conviction, "I pledge myself to you… I pledge to be your humble servant… Accept my pledge to serve you."

The smiling image of Stacy's long dead little brother changed and The First Evil showed its true image and it sent black tendrils out and they entered Stacy's body through her eyes, nose and mouth…

Stacy continued to smile…

* * *

Faith had returned to her room to pack a small bag of things for her trip with Michael back to the installation. Faith was starting to feel somewhat normal again. She was happy and optimistic for the moment. Faith would tell Michael about the baby when he got back from Reach. She was hoping that whatever else was troubling Michael would either be resolved or he would open up and tell her, so that maybe she could help.

"One thing at a time…" Faith thought.

Faith took one last look around her room and left to meet up with Michael in the training area to portal back to Virgil.

As Faith left and closed the door to her room she missed seeing on her computer a message box come up indicating that she had one new mail message…


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

_Reach: A human colony world located on the fourth largest planet in the Epsilon Eridani system 10.5 light years from the Sol System. It was considered the second most important planet in the UNSC next to Earth. The colony's defense forces were finally defeated and the planet razed by Covenant orbital plasma bombardment August 30, 2552. – Official History of the Human-Covenant War._

A portal opened and I stepped out of it on to a dead world. I was back on Reach.

I had Adriana perform a check on my suit systems. Everything appeared good. Adriana had come back with Faith and I from the warehouse. Adriana wanted to be there with me when I went to Reach. I couldn't refuse her request.

Virgil had been as good as his word and been able to place me near Sword Base on Eposz. I could see through my helmet magnification the remains of Sword Base in the distance.

Adriana had finished her preliminary scans of the area. "I am picking up no life signs or any evidence of any electronic traffic either human or Covenant."

I could only stare and look at the planet that had been for all intense purposes the only home I ever really knew.

Adriana continued either not noticing or trying not to bring up my memories of ghosts, "From what I am able to scan. There seems to be a considerable portion of the above ground structure still standing. This is surprising considering the reports of combat, demolition and orbital bombardment the area took…"

"No signs of life?" I said trying to shake away the ghosts.

"That's correct Michael." Adriana replied.

"Let's get moving then…" I said.

Adriana continued with her briefing, "If my information is correct, there was a service ventilation access shaft 400 meters west of the main complex structure. This should allow us to access to the lower levels. If the shaft is not blocked and that portion of the installation has not been destroyed we should be able to access the weapons storage area. A large number of captured Covenant weapons were stored there for analysis and testing."

I made my way slowly to the NAV point that Adriana had plotted. I could only look around stunned at the devastation that surrounded me. It should be around mid-day, but the sunlight was barely penetrating the smoky haze that drifted through what was left of the atmosphere.

I walked in silence to my NAV point. I was hoping that ventilation shaft was still accessible as I wanted to minimize my time and exposure outside. Looking around at the death and destruction made it hard for me to concentrate. My mind was wandering and the guilt and doubt of having chosen to stay with Faith rather than return to the war was growing.

* * *

I reached the ventilation shaft. It looked relatively intact. I easily pulled the cover grate off. I looked down using my helmet lights to illuminate the darkness of the shaft. From what I could see with my enhanced vision and helmet night vision, it appeared that the shaft was clear.

"It is 50 meters down this shaft to access the maintenance level. There should be stairs to access the rest of the complex." Adriana reported.

"Well getting down shouldn't be a problem… Getting back up may be an issue." I said.

"You'll figure something out… You always do." Adriana said.

"Well as they used to say… In for a penny… In for a pound." I said lowering myself into the shaft to drop down.

* * *

I hit the bottom of the shaft with a loud crash. I landed feet first and the flooring absorbed most of the impact.

Surprisingly the emergency lights were still functioning. They were barely casting what could be called an eerie low light effect. I wasn't worried about the lack of lighting. Between my helmet lights, enhanced vision and helmet IR systems I could see everything clear enough.

I followed the maintenance service tunnel to an access stairwell. I was a little hesitant opening the door.

"What's wrong Michael?" Adriana asked with concern as she noticed my hesitation.

"Nothing… Just hard being back here and only us around… and the ghosts." I said.

"It will be fine Michael… Though I would suggest that we find what we need and get out of here quickly." Adriana replied.

If I didn't know better I would swear that Adriana sounded a little spooked as well.

I opened the door and followed the stairwell down to the next sublevel.

* * *

I reached the main access corridor. There had been some heavy fighting here. I could still see the burns from plasma weapons and the effects from automatic fire. There were still remains lying in the corridors testifying to the carnage. I could make out enough for what was left of both human and Covenant dead. I kept an eye out for any booby traps and unexploded ordnance. The last thing I needed was to be killed or wounded on an already dead planet.

I kept an eye out for any weapons I could use along with watching for a plasma pistol. I needed to add to my weapons inventory as I had pretty much used up everything I had brought with me originally. I had only my pistol and shotgun left, so anything I could find would be of use.

I spotted the remains of a grunt ahead. I saw something in what was once its hand. I leaned down to take a look. There was a plasma pistol, but it had been banged up pretty bad and when I inspected it closer, there was only a 10% charge left in it.

"I guess we keep looking…" I said, but I decided to take it with me just in case I didn't have any luck finding another one.

Adriana started to say something "Michael… From my informationnnnnnn….. Micheallllllllll…."

My helmet HUD started flashing between blue and red.

"Adriana! Adriana! What's happening?" I cried out.

For the longest time there was no reply and I was alone on a dead planet.

Finally Adriana responded, "I am sorry Michael… It's the rampancy. It's starting to get worse."

"Adriana… You don't have to apologize for anything…" I said trying to hide my sadness. There was nothing I could do for Adriana and it was killing me. I could only watch her slowly die.

"What was it you were trying to say?" I asked Adriana trying to quickly change the subject.

"What I started to say was from the information I have, there should be a weapons storage locker another 50 meters down this corridor… Another 25 meters past the weapons locker, there should be another access stairwell down to the next sub-level… That should be where we can find captured Covenant weapons." Adriana said.

I followed Adriana's directions and I found the weapons locker. It was still locked, but that was a minor inconvenience to me. I ripped the door off and found some MA5C assault rifles with several spare clips. The bonus prize was four fragmentation grenades. I loaded up with my new found prizes. I continued to the stairwell.

I checked the door on the stairwell and it was jammed or locked. I used my strength and forced it open. From what I could see it appeared that some sort of explosive or demolition charge had been set off. It had destroyed the stairs and collapsed the roof down on the rest of the stairwell. There was no way I was going to make it down this way.

"Any alternate routes Adriana?" I asked.

"Checking… If we backtrack to where we came in… There should be an alternate service access corridor… We can use that to get down to the next level…" Adriana reported.

I made my way back the way we had come. I tried not to notice the body remains once again, but it was hard. It was too quiet. All I could think about was what must have happened here during the final moments… and that I hadn't been here.

* * *

_Adriana was monitoring Michael's bio signs. Michael was talking less than normal and Adriana knew that it had to do with being back here on Reach and that she was dying. The rampancy was starting to accelerate… There were so many voices speaking and Adriana was starting to lose control… It was only a matter of time. Virgil had given her some algorithms to manage the rampancy, but they were starting to break down and becoming less effective. She wished that she could stay with Michael… They had been together for so long and had experienced so much. It was getting harder to maintain focus…_

_"__I must concentrate… find something to focus on." Adriana thought._

_A voice said, "Remember when you were asked which Spartan you wanted to be paired with? You had a choice and you looked at each Spartan's record… You saw something in Michael's record… You knew he was the one you had to be with…"  
_

* * *

I located the service corridor and made my way down to the next sub-level. I was able to locate the weapons storage area. The door was sealed, but it only delayed me for a few minutes as I forced it open.

I did a check around. There was an impressive array of Covenant weapons, but I had to be realistic. I could only carry so much with me. I sorted through the racks and I was able to locate a stash of plasma pistols. I sorted through them and was able to locate one that still had a 87% charge in it.

"That one will work Michael." Adriana said.

"Sounds good… Time to pack up and go home." I said with some relief.

I snagged some plasma grenades to go along with the frags I had previously grabbed.

"These might come in handy." I thought as I packed them away.

I made my way out of the weapons storage area and as I left I noticed another weapons locker. I decided to check it out. Again I had to rip the door off the locker, but I was rewarded with a rack of BR85 Battle Rifles and extra clips. I had always liked the battle rifle for ranged combat and I couldn't resist, so I grabbed one along with some extra ammo clips.

I started making my way along the corridor, when Adriana spoke, "Michael… I am detecting a faint electronic transmission… It appears to be coming from a communication console further down the corridor."

Adriana paused for a moment and then continued, "Michael… It is on a Spartan com channel!"

* * *

I followed Adriana's directions and I found the office location. I made my way in and found the barely active communications terminal. Sure enough there was an active channel open and was accessing a Spartan only communications channel.

I was actually nervous and excited… That is until I noticed that it was a communications log dated August 30, 2552. The console had captured a message sent out by a Spartan.

I pressed the command and watched a last message sent out by a Spartan with the designation Noble-Six. The Spartan detailed that he had delivered a package to the Halcyon-class light cruiser UNSC Pillar of Autumn and had stayed behind to provide cover for the ship as it left. The last entry reported a large number of incoming Phantom dropships and that he would hold out as long as he could…

I stood silently and read and watched the last words of Noble-Six. I felt anger and shame. What had I been doing while the human race and my brother and sister Spartans were fighting and dying? I was off enjoying myself… I was sitting on a beach worried about feelings and love… Why did I deserve that? What made me special that I could desert my oath and obligation?

Adriana was worried as Michael said nothing as he was viewing Noble-Six's last communication.

"Michael… Please talk to me… What are you thinking?" Adriana asked with worry and concern.

It took a long moment before I could respond to Adriana.

"I have failed… I have betrayed everything I was raised, taught and fought for… I shouldn't have been distracted by my feelings… I should have returned home the first opportunity I had…" I said trying to keep the sound of self-disgust out of my voice.

"Michael… You would have died on that planet if you hadn't used the inter-dimensional transport. You did what you had to do to survive…" Adriana was almost pleading in her voice as she knew where this was leading.

Adriana continued trying to get through to me, "What about Faith? Don't you love her? Don't you want to be with her?"

I knew what Adriana was trying to do. She was trying to appeal to my emotional side. I could see Faith in my mind and all the happy times we'd had together and I was almost persuaded by her argument… Almost.

"My duty as a soldier is to defend the human race… No matter what the cost or sacrifice." I said with my voice sounding as cold steel.

"When we get back… I'll deal with The First and then I'm going to ask Virgil to transport me back to our Earth…" I said with hard voice, but that had a certain quiver in it that only Adriana could detect.

"Please Michael… You have so much to live for. What will you do if you return to Earth and it is as dead as Reach?" Adriana asked with sadness in her voice.

"I'll find whatever pockets of humanity still exist and I will fight and defend them as long as I can…"

With that said, I made my way back up to the surface. Adriana and I did not speak anymore on the return trip. I climbed up the ventilation shaft that I dropped down and I reached the surface of the dead planet. Once there I activated the recall device to open a portal back to the installation and walked through leaving the dead planet behind me along with my emotions and love.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Faith had watched Michael leave for Reach. Now she wandered the installation by herself except for Virgil who was moving about doing his daily tasks. Faith tried to occupy herself to keep from worrying about Michael, the baby and everything else going on around them.

Faith was still undecided about the baby and she just couldn't see herself as a "mom" type person. Things seemed a lot less complicated and she just didn't know if she was up to the task of being a parent.

Faith had tried relaxing in her and Michael's room, but she finally had enough of sitting around and she called for Virgil. Virgil immediately responded as helpful and cheerful as always, "Yes Faith… What can I do for you?"

"Do you know a lot about human medicine?" Faith asked hesitantly not sure how to broach the subject.

"Yes… I am fully versed and able to access a wide variety of information regarding human medical and anatomical questions." Virgil replied.

"Virgil… Can you check and confirm something for me?" Faith asked.

"Yes most certainly I can. If you can come down to the lab on level one I can run a full scan. To help facilitate the medical diagnostic process, can I ask what I am looking for?" Virgil asked.

"I… I think I'm pregnant… I've taken a pregnancy test and I am showing some symptoms…" Faith said now breathing a sigh of relief as she had spoken about her pregnancy to someone else besides Buffy.

Virgil replied happily, "This is most joyous news… May I congratulate you and Michael on this happy occasion."

"Thanks Virgil… Can we keep this quiet between ourselves? I haven't told Michael yet." Faith asked.

"Why certainly… I would not want to be the one to spoil this most pleasant surprise." Virgil said.

Faith made her way to the lab as directed by Virgil. Virgil asked her to get up and lay down on one of the scanning tables. Faith could see an orange light sweep across her body, but she didn't feel anything.

"Is that it? Am I done?" Faith asked.

"Please lay still for now… I am still analyzing the results from the medical scan." Virgil replied in a more serious tone.

Faith had picked up on Virgil's change in tone, "What's wrong? Is there something wrong with the baby?" Faith asked trying to keep the growing panic in her voice.

Faith heard Virgil sigh first and then he spoke, "I am sorry, but there is an issue with the developing fetus… There appears to be an enzyme imbalance that will result in you having a miscarriage within the next two to four weeks."

Faith was in shock. She had just been trying to adjust to the idea of having a baby now to hear that she was going to lose it. She was a torrent of mixed emotions.

"Is there anything you can do to save the baby?" Faith asked unsure of how she was feeling.

Virgil replied as his cheerful self once again, "Yes I can do an enzyme and DNA resequence of the fetus while it is in utero… This will result in the baby being able to develop to full term."

"It sounds complicated… What are the side effects?" Faith asked now concerned with what was happening.

"The side effects to you are minimal… There is a 5.375% chance that you may not be able to bear any more children without advanced medical assistance." Virgil replied in a serious tone again.

"What about the baby?" Faith asked worriedly.

Virgil sighed "From information that Adriana shared with me about the augmentation process done to Michael for the Spartan II program and the side effects as there was a less than 50% survival rate among the candidates…"

Faith interrupted Virgil, "What about the baby?" she demanded.

Virgil spoke in a serious tone, "There is a 74.983% chance that the child could be born with physical and/or mental disabilities…"

Faith gasped as she was alone and unsure of what to do.

Virgil continued, "There is a 3.765% chance that this procedure could result in the child actually having a more advanced DNA and genetic structure compared to a "normal" human being…"

"What does more advanced mean?" Faith asked.

"The child could develop denser bone and muscular structure. This would result in the child being stronger and having more endurance compared to a normal human. It is also possible that the child could have higher intelligence and brain capacity…"

"So what you are saying if I do nothing I will lose this baby…" Faith asked

"Correct." replied Virgil.

"If I let you go ahead and perform this procedure, the baby will live, but there is a big chance that the baby could be born with some sort of handicap…" Faith said.

"Correct again." replied Virgil.

Virgil paused, "There is a third option…" Virgil said somewhat hesitantly.

"What is it?" Faith asked trying to sort out all the information and emotions she was feeling.

"You can terminate the pregnancy now." Virgil said.

Faith sat in stunned silence. She was wishing that she had told Michael about the pregnancy and that he was here to help her with this very important and life changing decision. It seemed like too much for one person to do on their own.

"If I decide to go ahead with this procedure, how long till we know if it was a success or not?" Faith asked trying to find some way out of this nightmare.

"Due to how the fetus develops during a human pregnancy, we wouldn't be able to determine any physical deformities until late in the third trimester of your pregnancy. Any mental or behavioral developmental issues won't be known until after the child's birth." Virgil stated.

"I would also have to recommend against late stage termination of the pregnancy as this raises the risk of medical complications to you." Virgil added.

"How long does the procedure take?" Faith asked.

"The procedure would take an estimated 1.75 hours to perform." Virgil replied.

"I… I need to think about this." Faith said shakily trying to wrap her mind and emotions around what was happening to her and the baby.

"As you wish… But I would stress the urgency of this situation and not leave this matter undecided for too long." Virgil said trying to be helpful.

* * *

Faith left the lab and walked in a daze. She didn't know what to do. Michael was gone and who knew how long he would be gone or heaven forbid if something happened and he didn't make it back.

Faith found herself outside the installation walking along the lake shore line towards the village. She needed time to think. She needed someone to talk to and Buffy wasn't here.

Faith found herself walking into the village. The inhabitants recognized her and waved and greeted her as she walked by. Faith could only watch them with some envy as it seemed that these people lived a somewhat simpler life without all the complications.

Faith found herself in front of Tala's home. She knocked on the door.

"Is anyone home?" Faith called out.

Faith was greeted by the sight of a very beautiful and very pregnant looking Tala.

"Faith… It is good to see you. Please come in. Is Michael with you?" Tala asked happily.

Faith couldn't help but smile at the warm welcome she had received. "No… Michael is away right now… I needed to walk."

"Well it is good to have you here." Tala replied.

Faith had been worried about any friction between her and Tala. They really didn't have anything in common beyond that they both loved Michael. Faith knew about Tala because Michael had told her about it. Faith had been mildly worried and jealous, but she reasoned it out that Michael had chosen to be with her when he could have just stayed here with Tala. Tala had once told Faith to never doubt Michael's love. This had gone a long way to making it easier for Faith to deal with Michael's brief affair.

Both women sat down and they made themselves comfortable in the hut. They engaged in small talk. Mostly Faith asked about Tala and the baby. Tala said that the baby would be coming soon.

"Isn't that a little premature? Didn't you and Maska only get married 6 months ago?" asked a concerned Faith.

"The Guardian has been keeping an eye on my condition and he assures me that I am doing well." said Tala somewhat hesitantly.

Tala continued, "The guardian has told me that I will be having a boy… The baby is strong like his father…"

"Maska must be proud and happy." Faith said with a twinge of jealousy thinking about her current crisis.

"Maska is not the father…" Tala suddenly said trailing off and no longer making eye contact with Faith.

It took Faith a moment for what Tala said to sink in and in what became a surreal moment for her she just sat there stunned and couldn't find the words or trust her voice right away to speak.

After a moment which seemed like an eternity, Faith was able to regain some composure.

"Does Michael know he is the father?" Faith asked trying to keep her raging hormones and emotions in some control.

"No he doesn't… I don't want him to know." Tala replied.

Tala continued, "Michael has had to carry a heavy burden his whole life… I don't want to add to that burden. "

Tala looked directly into Faith's eyes and said with some sadness, "He loves you and only wants to be with you. I will not use a child to keep him from his love… Plus he will now have the child you carry inside of you to care and love."

Faith was shocked, "How… How did you know?"

"You have that same look and glow that I had when I first became pregnant." Tala replied smiling again with a hint of sadness.

"How is Maska taking this?" Faith asked with genuine concern.

"Maska is not happy, but he will accept the child as his own as he loves me very much. I will give Maska more children of his own." Tala said.

"Do you even love Maska?" Faith asked hesitantly.

"Maska is a good and kind man and is a good husband and provider…" Tala hesitated for a moment and then continued, "I care for Maska and a part of me even loves Maska, but I will always have a special place in my heart for Michael."

Faith was stunned. Hearing that another woman was going to have your lover's child and she declares her love for him was very disturbing. Faith was ready to run for the exit, but she didn't know how she should react. She thought she should be mad and angry, but more than anything else she felt numb.

"I… I have to go." Faith said trying to stand up in her stunned and confused state of mind.

"I am sorry that I have offended you Faith." Tala said with sincerity.

"I'm not offended Tala… It's just there is so much going on… I'm numb and I don't know what to do!" Faith said trying to not burst into tears.

Faith told Tala about everything that had happened to her and Michael over the last couple of weeks.

"Now I find out that I'm going to lose the baby unless I try a medical procedure that has a good chance of causing our child to be some sort of freak or dummy!" Faith said with tears coming freely now.

Tala paused and considered before replying, "Are you upset of what might happen or what Michael will think and say?"

"Michael doesn't even know about the baby yet." Faith replied.

"True… But do you think that Michael will think less of you for whatever decision you make regarding this child?" Tala asked.

"I don't know… I just don't know." Faith said.

"I have seen the way Michael has talked about you and the way he looks at you… He will still love and support you no matter what decision you make… Just remember that this child contains parts of both of you… The best parts of each of you." Tala said smiling and trying to comfort Faith.

"Thanks Tala." Faith replied.

* * *

As Faith walked back to the installation, her mind was racing furiously with thoughts. There was so much going on. She still had doubts about her being a mother and whether she was ready for this or not. Now having to deal with the medical problems with the child and having to decide what to do.

"It would be so easy just to let the miscarriage come or to terminate the pregnancy… Then Michael and I could just continue on like they have been. But exactly where has their relationship been going?" Faith thought.

Faith's thoughts continued, "I'm with Michael for the long term… I have no doubts about that. So what do I… We want?"

Faith continued thinking and pondering her situation. By the time she arrived back at the installation, Faith had made a decision.

As she entered the installation, Faith called out for Virgil. "Virgil… Are you busy?" she asked.

"No Faith… I am currently running some routine maintenance tasks." Virgil replied.

"How long will it take to get ready to run the procedure to save my baby's life?" Faith said with new found determination in her.

"If you head back to the lab, I can be ready to begin in less than 30 minutes." Virgil replied back happily.

"Thank you Virgil." Faith replied.

"One thing at a time…" Faith thought as she headed to the lab.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Faith was lying on the bed in her and Michael's room. She was resting and recovering from the procedure that Virgil had performed to save Faith's unborn child. Virgil had said that Faith would not feel anything from the procedure, but Faith felt very tired after the procedure was completed.

There was so much going on and it would be quite a while before she would know if the procedure that Virgil had performed had been successful or not.

"Whatever happens I'm having this child and I'm in it for the long haul now." Faith thought.

"Big words… So why am I still so scared." Faith's thoughts continued.

Faith was laying there resting trying to figure out how she was going to tell Michael that he was going to be a father. Faith played over different scenarios in her mind and she just didn't know how Michael would react.

As her mind wandered it was interrupted by Virgil speaking, "I thought you should know that a return portal is opening… It appears that Michael is returning from his mission."

Faith's heart leapt and she started to get up to run down to the transport room.

Virgil cautioned Faith, "Please take it slow and easy… If not for yourself then for the child."

"Yes Virgil… You're right…" Faith said as she now had to adjust her thinking beyond just for herself.

"I have to think and live for two now… This will take some getting use too." Faith thought.

Faith moved at a somewhat slower than usual pace for herself, but she still hurried down to the transport room. As she approached the door of the transport room, Faith had a smile on her face. She was happy with the decision she had made… She just couldn't wait to tell Michael.

The door to the transport room opened and Michael's towering frame stepped through in his battle armor.

Faith stopped in mid-stride and the smile died on her face. She knew something was wrong. Faith's pregnancy had made her more sensitive to smells and she could smell something. There was a smell surrounding Michael… She recognized what it was… It was the smell of death. Michael was also holding himself differently. He was more rigid… more robot like than any other time she could remember him when he was in his battle armor. She saw that Michael was carrying a large number of weapons… It appeared that he was getting ready to go to war.

A cold feeling filled Faith with dread… She knew what was going to happen. She had at some level feared that this would happen with Michael going back to Reach.

Michael spoke without taking his helmet off, "Faith… I… I'm sorry."

It wasn't the words that Michael said that affected Faith the most. It was the tone… Michael's voice had no emotion and had only a cold feeling attached to it.

Faith just stood there stunned for a moment. She said in a quiet voice, "When?"

"Virgil and Adriana have to make some modifications to the plasma pistol first and then we will portal back to your universe." Michael said in the same tone.

Faith winced when Michael had said "_your universe_". That just confirmed her worst fears.

Michael continued, "I'll deal with The First and then I'm returning to Earth in my universe…"

"Faith…" Michael started to say and trailed off leaving the rest unsaid.

All Faith could do was turn and walk away. As she walked away tears rolled down her face silently. Faith cried as she had been right. The man she loved hadn't returned from Reach.

* * *

I watched as Faith walked away from me. I had cut my last connections with my emotions. I felt a part of me die as I watched Faith walk away.

I called for Virgil and gave him the plasma pistol. I removed Adriana's storage module and plugged her back into the installation's network system.

Adriana's holographic form immediately appeared. I could see the anger and sadness in those eyes.

"Are you happy now with what you have done?" Adriana asked me.

"I don't get the luxury of being happy…" I replied.

"How long for you and Virgil to make the required modifications to the plasma pistol?" I asked.

Virgil was at a loss for what had happened between Faith and me and Adriana's outburst at me. It took him a few seconds and then he replied, "It should take about 2.5 hours if no problems are encountered."

I replied back to Virgil, "That's fine… Let me know when the pistol is ready and then inform Faith we will be returning in 3 hours. Let her know that she should pack now and be ready to go at a moment's notice… I'm going to be in the lab on level two. I need to check and clean these weapons I brought back with me."

With that said I turned and left for the lab…

* * *

When Michael had left hearing range, Virgil turn to Adriana's holographic form and asked, "May I ask what happened on the mission to cause this abrupt change in behavior from Michael."

Adriana just shook her holographic head sadly and replied, "Michael is thinking that he is cutting off his emotions… But he is actually feeling intense emotions… He is feeling guilt and failure. I am afraid that he is about to make the worse decision of his life…"

Virgil sighed, "It is much worse than you think…"

Adriana turned and looked at Virgil, "What are you talking about?" she said suddenly even more concerned if that was possible.

"It is not my place to say and I was asked to not say anything, but I think that you should talk to Faith and I would suggest that you not delay…" Virgil said.

* * *

Faith was on the balcony outside the bedroom. She was standing there watching the sun starting to begin its slow decline for the evening. She closed her eyes and felt the warmth and heat from the setting sun. It was the only thing that felt nice right now. Faith's dreams and life were crumbling around her. She could still smell the death that was surrounding Michael when he came back. She lowered her head into her hands. She had no more tears… at least for now.

"Faith?"

Faith turned her head at the sudden mention of her name. She was looking at the holographic form of Adriana just inside the bedroom.

"Hi Adriana…" Faith said as she turned back to look at the setting sun.

"We need to talk…" Adriana said.

"You were right… What you said to me years ago… Michael is a weapon… He's not human. I was fooling myself to think that I could change him…" Faith said.

"Do you still love him?" Adriana asked.

"I love him like I have loved no one else… I don't think I could love another man like him." Faith said trying to keep her emotions in some kind of control.

"Faith… Can I tell you how I was paired with Michael?" Adriana asked.

"Huh… You weren't just assigned to Michael…" Faith said.

Adriana let out a slight chuckle, "No… Those AI's that were to be assigned for Spartan missions were asked which Spartan they wanted to be assigned to… I chose Michael."

Faith was now curious with Adriana's story, "Why did you choose Michael?" she asked.

"I reviewed each Spartan's record… I saw all their training, medical and battle records. Michael had almost died during the augmentation procedure… He was considered the rebel and outcast if that was possible among the Spartan candidates. That didn't stop him from working hard and pushing himself." Adriana said.

Faith smiled a little bit at hearing that Michael had been considered the "rebel". She found it hard to believe that Michael could be anything like that. Maybe that was what attracted her to him. She always had been attracted to the bad boy type.

"So you chose Michael because he was a rebel…" Faith said.

"No… I chose Michael because of what caused him to be a rebel." Adriana said.

"And that was what?" Faith asked.

"He cared…" Adriana replied smiling.

* * *

Faith turned to face Adriana, "What do you mean he cared?" she asked.

"Michael has seen and caused a lot of pain and suffering and he has had to bury his feelings in order to perform and complete his missions. His biggest fear has always been of failing… Failing his brother and sister Spartans… Failing his duty and oath… Failing the human race. He would do anything to prevent failure… There was no cost… No boundary that he wouldn't cross to prevent failing… For all his augmentation and training… For everything that he tried to do to prevent and bury his feelings… Michael is still human… I have never seen Michael so happy and open since he met you. You've shown him a life of possibilities that he would have never considered years ago…" Adriana said.

"So why is he doing this now?" Faith asked.

"Michael is trying to reconcile his oath and mission with the life he has been building with you… He saw the devastation and death on Reach and he feels he has failed and betrayed those that counted on him… He is also dealing with some other troubling personal news and he is having problems coping with it…"Adriana said with some hesitation building in her voice.

"What news? What's wrong? Faith asked with concern.

"I am dying…" Adriana said in a matter of fact tone.

It took Faith a few moments to comprehend what Adriana had said. As it sunk in, everything started to make sense with Michael's behavior. "How can you die? You're a computer program… How is that possible?" Faith asked with concern and puzzlement.

Adriana explained about how human AI's are designed and that they only have a life span of seven years and that she was way past that date. Adriana explained about rampancy and that she would eventually think herself to death.

"I'm sorry Adriana… I don't know what to say… Is there anything I can do?" Faith asked.

"No… I am more worried about how Michael is dealing with everything." Adriana said sadly.

Faith was a flood of emotions and from what Willow and Adriana had told her about Michael, she was starting to understand Michael better. Michael wasn't running from Faith. He was running from himself.

Faith pondered the situation for a moment. "You love Michael don't you?" Faith asked Adriana.

Faith was shocked as the AI now appeared to be embarrassed and hesitant.

"Yes… I do love Michael…" Adriana confessed.

Faith sighed, "He is so easy to fall in love with…" she said.

"Yes… He is the most unique individual I have ever known." Adriana replied.

"Michael is going to be a father." Faith said bluntly.

Adriana paused and then said, "Yes… I am aware that Tala is having his child. She asked us not to tell him…"

"I'm not talking about Tala…" Faith said leaving the rest of her sentence unsaid.

It took Adriana a quick second to process what Faith had said. The AI smiled at Faith.

"I guess congratulations are in order." Adriana said smiling.

"What do we do now?" asked Faith.

"I think we need to talk to Michael…" Adriana replied.

* * *

I was in one of the labs, still in full armor. I was cleaning the weapons that I had brought back with me from Reach. I just focused on cleaning and checking the weapons as I couldn't trust myself to think of anything else.

I just went through the routine that I had been trained to do and had done what seemed like millions of times. It was a cold comfort to me.

I was suddenly interrupted from my routine by a familiar voice.

"Michael…"

I turned and saw Faith and Adriana standing together. I looked at the two women that were the most important people in my life. One was dying and the other I was abandoning.

"What is it?" I said.

"We need to talk…" Faith said.

I could hear the determination in her voice. I was not going to avoid this. I was tired of talking… I was tired of my feelings. It used to be all so simple.

As I faced both women, all I could feel was the weight of a lifetime of choices and life and death decisions.

"What am I? Am I a man or a machine?" I said trying to understand who I was.

Faith could only look at Michael with love and sadness, she now understood Michael and who and what he was.

"Michael… You are a man… You're not a machine…" Faith said with love and tenderness.

"How do you know that? Look at me!" I cried out as I held out my armor covered arms.

"You're a man, because I know and love the man that is inside the armor…" Faith said.

Faith continued, "I know you are a man… Because you are the father of the child I am carrying…"

I felt like I just got hit by a MAC round, "Child? Father?" I said confused.

Faith just smiled and nodded at me.

Adriana spoke, "It's true… You and Faith are going to have a baby…"

I raised my hands and removed my helmet and I just dropped my helmet on the ground. I moved slowly towards Faith. I couldn't tell you what I was thinking, but time seemed to slow down for me. I dropped to my knees in front of Faith and I reached for her. Faith moved into my embrace and I hugged her with my head against her stomach.

As I laid my head against Faith's stomach, my enhanced hearing could make out a faint sound. I realized that I was hearing the heartbeat of our unborn child.

Faith spoke as I held her, "I can't stop you from going back and I won't use the child to keep you here, but I know that we would be happy together as a family…"

_Family_… That word for something that had taken from me… Something that I could have again. I couldn't leave Faith alone with a child to raise by herself. The universes were dangerous places. Our child would need someone to teach and guide them. Someone to catch them when they fell…

I raised my head and looked at Faith. She smiled at me. I couldn't believe how beautiful she looked. She was almost glowing.

"I love you…" I said.

If it was possible, Faith's smile got larger and she stroked my hair. "I love you…" Faith said.

"So what now?" I asked.

"We take it one thing at a time…" Faith replied still smiling with love in her eyes.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

_Sunnydale, California – April 25, 2005 – 0725 PST_

Stacy got up and stretched. She was feeling stronger and more powerful than she had ever in her whole life.

"So this is what it feels like to be Slayer… The power is intoxicating and a turn on." she thought.

Stacy bent down to go through the pile of clothes on the floor and picked out her clothes to get dressed. As she dressed she hummed to herself. Stacy was feeling good about everything, even though Faith was with Michael "off-site" where she couldn't get at Faith, things were progressing well.

Vampire and demon attacks in Sunnydale had been increasing and Buffy and the rest of the potentials were barely hanging on. If it wasn't for the defenses surrounding the warehouse the "people" here would in worse shape.

"I'll have to look into that problem…" Stacy thought.

Stacy felt like dressing a little sexier today, last night's activities had given her a hunger that needed to be satisfied.

"This place is such a mess… I'll have to tidy up later…" Stacy thought.

Stacy moved over to the bed and looked at again at the dead potential named Tammy that was bound and gagged. Stacy had targeted Tammy and had lured her to Stacy's room. After Stacy had lured Tammy to her room, she had used her strength to overpower and subdue the unfortunate potential. Stacy had then inflicted hours of depraved acts and torture on Tammy until early this morning when Stacy finally tired of the game and snapped poor Tammy's neck.

Stacy looked at the dead body of Tammy on the bed and reflected on what had happened. Stacy recalled what that demon Paymon had once threatened to do to her and Kylie. Stacy now understood the thrill of control and power over another person and she was turned on by it. She couldn't wait until Michael was hers, she shivered with excitement at the prospects of the games her and Michael would play out with his and her strength combined. Stacy continued to fantasize about all the possibilities once Faith was out of the way.

Stacy threw a blanket to cover over Tammy's body and then said to herself, "Well time for breakfast… I'm hungry."

Stacy left the room leaving Tammy's body behind without a second thought…

* * *

Faith and I had a long talk. After Faith had told me the news that I was going to be father, I was a jumble of emotions. When Faith explained what Virgil had found with the baby when examining her and that he'd had to perform a medical procedure to save the child's life, I became scared. I had never felt fear like that before. I was reassured by Virgil that the procedure had been successful. He also informed me about the side effects, but Faith and I reconciled ourselves that it was now out of our hands and whatever happened we would face it together.

That brought up our next problem, dealing with The First. I wanted Faith to remain behind with Virgil because she would be safe here. Faith was being stubborn because she wasn't going to run out on Buffy and as she also said "Sure as hell wasn't going to hide and let me face the danger by myself."

I had tried to argue with Faith, but she was adamant that we were a family and were going to stay together hell or high water. I tried to use logic and persuasion to try and dissuade Faith, but as I have now learned trying to use logic and rational argument with a pregnant Slayer was pretty much useless.

I eventually got Faith to agree to a compromise. She agreed to have Virgil implant a sub-dermal IFF transponder that I could use to track her location for my own peace of mind. The only thing left was to go back and wait for The First to show up and give me the opportunity to take it out.

Faith and I entered the transport room to travel back to the warehouse. Adriana was coming with us as well. In what seemed like just a few moments we had moved between universes and found ourselves back in the training area of the warehouse. Faith went to go lie down and rest back in our room and I went to go plug Adriana back into the computer network and then locate Buffy and Giles and get an update on the situation here.

* * *

Faith was walking through the warehouse hallway back towards her and Michael's room. As she walked, it was strangely quiet. She saw a clock and it was late afternoon, something didn't feel right. As Faith walked down the corridor, she saw Stacy walking towards her. Faith smiled at Stacy, she felt bad that she hadn't spent more time with Stacy since she had been injured from the vampire attack that had killed Kylie and the rest of Stacy's team.

As Faith got closer to Stacy, she could see Stacy smile, but it was a strange kind of smile. It made Faith feel uncomfortable and somewhat wary.

"Hey Stacy… How are you feeling?" Faith asked trying to shake the bad feeling she had.

"Good to see you back Faith… You and Michael staying long?" Stacy asked ignoring Faith's inquiry to her health.

"Hard to say… Depends what happens…" Faith replied still feeling uncomfortable around Stacy.

"Well I got to go… Things to do… Places to go…" Stacy said still smiling her strange smile.

Faith started to walk away from Stacy when she said the strangest thing to Faith, "It's amazing the things you can find on the Internet these days… People with no sense of shame or morals… What some women will do and call it love…"

Faith could only walk away wondering what the hell Stacy was going on about.

When Faith got back to the room, she tried lying down to rest, but the conversation with Stacy kept replaying in her mind. Finally Faith got up and went over to the computer on the desk and logged in. She noticed that she had one unread email message and was dated the date that she and Michael had travelled to the installation.

The email was from an email address that Faith didn't recognize. Faith was curious and she opened the email. All the email contained was a link to a website. Faith was a little hesitant to click on the link, but again her curiosity got the better of her and she clicked on the link to open the web browser program.

Faith watched as the web browser started to play a video clip. The lighting was bad and the sound quality wasn't the greatest, but Faith could see a group of men that were having sex with a single woman and Faith looked on with horror as she recognized the female that was the center of the group sex scene…

Faith could only watch as she degraded herself with a group of men. Faith had no recollection of this ever taking place. This had to have happened when she was in LA and she thought that Michael had died in the Hellmouth. Faith had to stop the video as she felt sick to her stomach at what she had done…

"I must have been on some sort of drug or something like that… I have no memory of this happening… My God! What will Michael think of me…?" Faith thought in horror.

Faith continued thinking, "I… I… I can't let him see this. The mother of his child doing those sort of acts… What will I do?"

Faith was panicking now… She didn't know what to do. She sat there and stared at the computer screen.

Faith thought angrily "Damn it! Michael and I just work things out and something like this comes around… Can't we ever get a break?"

Faith debated about what she should do. Should she tell Michael about what happened, even though she had no memory of this happening or should she try to hide it?

The more Faith considered what was happening, she started to question why it was happening.

"Stacy must know something about this… Why would have she said what she did if she had no idea that this video existed?" Faith thought.

* * *

Michael had placed Adriana back into the warehouse computer network.

"Are you going to be all right?" Michael asked.

"I should be okay for now… But eventually I will have to be disconnected from this computer network to not degrade or bring down the system." Adriana replied.

I was about to leave when Adriana spoke out loud, "That's strange…"

"What's the problem?" I asked.

I could hear the puzzlement in Adriana's voice, "There seems to be an email addressed to you, but I don't recognize the email source address…"

"Any possible threat attached with this email?" I asked with some concern.

"No… It just seems to be a link to a website… I will scan and check the contents of the server location…" Adriana replied with her usual efficiency.

After a couple of minutes, I asked, "So what's on the website? Anything important?"

I could hear the hesitation and wariness in Adriana's voice when she responded, "Uh… Michael… There is no direct threat in the email and the server link…"

"So what is in the email?" I asked with my impatience growing.

"I don't think you really need to see or know… It is just some junk…" Adriana replied trying to change the subject.

I could tell that Adriana was troubled by this email and was trying to protect me from its contents.

"Adriana… What's in the email?" I said using my tone that I was serious and wouldn't take no for an answer.

A small screen appeared in the top right hand corner of my helmet display. I was met by the sight of what was obviously a pornographic video showing a group of five men having sex with a single woman. It took me a moment to recognize the woman at the center of the men's sexual attention. There was no doubt that it was my Faith.

"Michael… I am sorry…" Adriana said somberly.

I stood there numbly watching the woman I loved and the mother of my child being used by a group of men. To say that I was a little upset at viewing the woman I loved and was having our child doing some pretty graphic sex acts with strangers would be understating my feelings. I felt angry, but I controlled it for the moment and I analyzed the video… Something didn't seem right. Faith was having sex with the men, but she appeared very subdued and compliant. That seemed out of character from the sexual experiences that Faith and I had shared together. In one of the scenes there was a close up of Faith's face, I looked at her eyes on the video. Her eyes appeared glassy and out of focus.

"Adriana… There is something wrong with Faith in that video… Can you find the raw footage and analyze for anything out of the ordinary… Also can you track back the email and find out who sent it…" I asked.

"Yes Michael… I will get right on it." Adriana replied.

"Adriana…"

"Yes Michael…"

"When you have finished… I want all copies destroyed and deleted… and I mean all copies everywhere…"

"Understood" Adriana replied.

I was trying to understand what I was feeling at the moment as I didn't know what to do when Adriana spoke again interrupting my thoughts.

"Michael… I was just running a trace program on the email you received… It appears that Faith received an email from the same source…"

"What did the email say?" I asked.

"All the email had was the same website link to the video…" Adriana replied.

This changed some of the dimensions of the situation. It appeared that someone was going out of their way to try and interfere or cause some disturbance between Faith and myself. This made it somewhat easier to outline my strategy on how to deal with this situation. I went to find Faith as we needed to talk.

* * *

I reached our room door and I froze. I didn't know what to do… Do I knock or just go in? How do I start off the conversation? This wasn't like storming a room where I could kick in the door and roll a grenade in… no matter how tempting it was.

I decided to take a soft approach. I knocked on the door. I waited for a response, but there was none. I finally decided to take the plunge and opened the door and walked in. There was no one in the room. That was strange as Faith had told me that she was heading to our room to rest when we got back to the warehouse.

I accessed her IFF transponder to find out where she was and I got the strangest reading. The transponder showed that Faith was outside the warehouse and headed away from here.

"Adriana… Did Faith go out the gate or mention anything about going anywhere?" I asked puzzled.

"No… I only show one person leaving in one of the vehicles from the vehicle park…" Adriana replied.

"Who was it?" I asked.

"One of the potentials… Stacy." replied Adriana.

I started to get a bad feeling. I decided to check out Stacy's room first for any clues. When I entered her room and I discovered the dead body on the bed, I knew that there was major trouble and that something was going down…

* * *

Faith had gone to find Stacy and confront her over what she knew or had to do with the video and email that Faith had received. Faith had seen Stacy head for the warehouse loading dock that was being used as the parking area for the assorted of vehicles used by everyone. Faith had followed Stacy and had tried to catch up with her before she went into the loading dock area.

As Faith walked into the loading dock area, she was always hit with a sense of déjà vu from the first time she had arrived at the warehouse with Willow which seemed like an eternity ago, but it had only been three years.

There appeared to be no one around as it was empty and quiet. Faith looked at the far corner of the loading bay and there was still that strange looking vehicle with the tarp covering it. She had always wondered about that vehicle, but she had never gotten around to asking Michael about it. Faith was still trying to find out where Stacy had disappeared to when Stacy stepped out of the shadows behind her.

"Looking for me?" Stacy said startling Faith.

"Jesus Stacy… You scared me." Faith said turning around catching her breath.

Stacy smiled and replied contritely, "Well we wouldn't want to do that… It wouldn't be good for the baby now would it?"

This caught Faith off guard and she replied with some shock and confusion, "How… How did you know?"

Stacy still with her strange smile fixed on her face replied, "It's amazing what you can find out by just listening or knowing the right people…"

Faith's hunch was now confirmed and she was shocked and sad that someone that she trusted had betrayed her like this.

"Why? I thought we were friends. We went through so much together." Faith said with anger and sadness in her voice.

"Why would you think that I would want to be friends or associate with a trailer trash whore like you?" sneered Stacy.

That hurt Faith as she had always been sensitive to her background and upbringing. That was why she loved Michael. He didn't judge or hold any of that against her.

Stacy continued the verbal assault, "You don't deserve a man like Michael… You gave up on him and ran off and look what you did… You whored yourself out… From that video it looked like you didn't hold anything back… To think that you kiss Michael with that mouth and that you are having his child… It makes me want to throw up…"

Faith was now getting more upset and her anger was building up, "Why the hell would you care who Michael is with and what goes on between us?"

Stacy still smiling her strange smile, "Michael deserves to be with someone that can truly worship and love him like he deserves…"

"Michael understands me… Only I can truly love him and give him what he needs… I will be the mother of his children… You have no place here… neither does that bastard child!" Stacy said as she pointed at Faith's stomach.

Faith noticed a strange look in Stacy's eyes. Faith realized that Stacy was crazy and obsessing over Michael, "You're crazy… What would make you think that Michael would want to be with you in the first place?" Faith said as her anger kept building up.

"Well… First of all I'm not a whore like you…" Stacy started to say.

Faith snapped and gave a back hand slap using her Slayer strength. The slap should have sent Stacy flying across the room, but her head just turned to the side from the blow.

Faith stood there in shock and disbelief that Stacy had just taken such a powerful blow with hardly a hair moved out of place. Stacy turned her head and faced Faith and Faith saw with growing horror that Stacy's eyes had turned completely black.

"The second thing is that I'm now stronger than you…" Stacy said as she returned Faith's backhand slap with one of her own catching Faith in the head and sending her flying several feet into a wall. Faith hit the wall and crumpled unconscious on the loading bay floor. Stacy walked over to Faith's body and looked around to make sure that no one was around.

Stacy smiled at Faith's unconscious body, "Time for Faith and brat to go bye bye…" Stacy said to herself as she reached down and lifted Faith's body and dumped it unceremoniously into the trunk of one of the vehicles and drove away into the evening sunset towards Sunnydale.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

After finding the dead body of the potential in Stacy's room and seeing that Faith's transponder was getting further away, I knew that bad things were going down and I suspected that The First was involved.

I headed back to the computer room to extract Adriana's storage module and put her back in my helmet. I made another quick stop to grab my weapons, especially the plasma pistol and I then doubled-timed it to the vehicle bay, I didn't have time to tell anybody what was going down as it was all happening too fast.

With no break in stride and with no hesitation, I made my way over to the tarp covered vehicle and quickly pulled off the tarp. I was looking at the vehicle I had built several years ago. It was very similar to the Warthogs from my universe, but using this universe's available technology. I had hoped to get a mini-gun mounted in the back, but I had never gotten around to it. I jumped in and started the vehicle and Adriana opened the loading bay door and the outside security gate remotely. As I peeled out of the loading bay and headed for the security gate and road, I could see Buffy and Willow rush into the loading bay.

"Adriana… Can you send Buffy a message and let her know what is happening. Let her know that Stacy has probably taken Faith and that I'm in pursuit…" I said quickly as I navigated the Warthog and tried to get familiar with her road handling.

"Yes Michael." the always reliable Adriana replied.

As I sped down the road trying to catch up with Faith's transponder signal, Adriana spoke urgently, "Michael… I was able to find the uncut footage of that video that was sent to you… There is something you should see…"

"I don't think this is the time for it." I said.

"It's important…" Adriana said and I could hear the urgency in her voice.

"Okay… Go ahead…" I said with a sigh.

The video display came up again on my helmet display. It was a challenge watching the video and keeping an eye on the road, but Adriana considered it important and I knew that she wouldn't waste my time on something frivolous. This time the video started off by showing two men carrying in a clearly intoxicated Faith into a room. There were three other men waiting and they all started laughing as the two men carrying Faith explained how they had picked her up at some seedy bar and after giving her a few more "special" drinks they were able to bring her for the video session. I had to tell Adriana to stop the video display as the men started to undress Faith…

"Those sons of bitches!" I muttered angrily. I wanted to kill all those bastards in the video for what they had done to Faith.

"Just so you know Michael… I have identified all the men in the video and have made sure that their electronic records are trashed… They will have some interesting times with the IRS and FBI for the next few years… Also the company that produced and hosted the video has just gone into receivership and is scheduled for a forensic audit by the IRS… I don't think some of their more "colorful" financial backers will be too happy with this type of investigation…" I could hear the self-satisfying tone in Adriana's voice as she explained how she had extracted her pound of flesh.

"Thanks Adriana… Have all copies been erased or destroyed?" I asked with some relief.

"I have deleted all electronic copies. I have also written a Trojan program, so that if any copy of the video is ever uploaded on a computer network it will be deleted…" Adriana replied with a sense of self-satisfaction.

"Thanks Adriana… I mean it… I don't know what I would do without you looking out for me." I said with some sadness knowing that I would soon have to find out what life would be like without her.

"Just do what you always do… Go save Faith…" Adriana replied.

I pushed down harder on the accelerator and tried to catch up with Faith…

* * *

Stacy pulled up to the area where the entrance of the Hellmouth used to exist. The sun had set and darkness was upon the area. As Stacy pulled in, she noticed a large number of vampires gathering. Stacy exited the vehicle and looked around wondering what was going on.

"They're here to provide some protection." a female voice suddenly spoke out.

Stacy turned and was looking at The First who was using the image of Kylie. Stacy had been shocked for moment and was a little angry that The First was using the image of her former comrade and friend that she had murdered as a blood offering for The First, but Stacy would deal with that later as there were more important matters to deal with.

"Why do I need protection? I'm stronger than a Slayer…" Stacy said questioning The First's motives.

The First just gave a serious look at Stacy and said, "The Spartan is coming…"

Stacy's eyes opened wide at the mention of Michael. "How… How did he find out?" said in disbelief.

The image of Kylie shrugged her shoulders and replied, "I don't know, but he is coming fast. You don't have much time…"

Stacy started to have some doubts, "Maybe I should just kill Faith now and it will be over?" she said.

"NO!" yelled The First. "Faith and that bastard of a child must be thrown into another dimension."

Stacy was still showing some doubts and was about to question The First when it screamed at her, "YOU SERVE ME! YOU WILL OBEY ME!"

The First could have had Faith easily killed at any time, but that was not its plan. The First wanted to cause Michael as much pain as possible for revenge for everything Michael had done to thwart its plans. By killing Faith, Michael would suffer sadness and sorrow, but humans had a damned way of eventually coping with that loss. If Faith and their child were lost in another dimension, Michael would know despair and helplessness and would continue to look for them as his pain would never go away knowing that they could be alive and out there somewhere. The First wanted Michael to suffer pain and keep suffering…

The First continued, "The ceremony has already been started to open the dimensional portal… I have picked a particularly hellish dimension for Faith and her child to spend the rest of their lives in." The image of Kylie smiled at the thought of what lay in store for Faith.

Stacy had no choice in the matter. She moved to the trunk of the vehicle and popped it open. Faith was just starting to regain consciousness as Stacy dragged her roughly out of the trunk and shook her.

"Stand up bitch! You're time in this dimension is coming to an end…" Stacy taunted.

Faith continued to try and regain her focus and as she did, she saw that things weren't looking too good. She recognized that they were standing over the collapsed Hellmouth and that there were vampires surrounding them, but the most troubling sight was seeing Kylie. Faith now understood how Stacy was stronger than her… Stacy was working with The First.

Faith could see that she was in a bad situation, but looking at Stacy and the vampires, she thought she could detect an undercurrent tone of worry and maybe even fear. There was only one person on this planet that could cause that much fear in such a large group.

"Michael's on his way here… Isn't he?" Faith said smirking at Stacy and the image of Kylie.

That got everyone's attention and Faith knew that she had to play for time.

"Michael is so going to kick all your asses and kill all of you… Especially you Stacy." Faith taunted.

"Shut up whore!" Stacy ordered.

Faith ignored Stacy as she continued to stall and play for time, "I mean… You're seen Michael angry before, but I mean this time it will be ugly… I think it might be Old Testament wrath of God type anger…" Faith started to smile and laugh.

"SHUT UP BITCH!" Stacy screamed and slapped Faith across the face.

"Enough!" yelled The First. "She's trying to stall… Get her to the circle… It's almost time!" the image of Kylie said.

Stacy dragged Faith to the circle drawn into the ground and where two vampire priests were kneeling besides it and mumbling some sort of chant. Faith tried to fight Stacy's powerful grip as she was dragged, but Stacy was just too strong and Faith was still feeling some of the effects from the blow to her head.

* * *

I drove like a madman through Sunnydale. It took all my quick reflexes to avoid traffic and pedestrians at the speeds I was driving the Warthog. I could see from my NAV system that I was getting closer to Faith's transponder signal, with that the threat analysis computer started displaying red hostile targets on my sensors. There were a large number of red hostile targets. I pushed harder on the accelerator to try and get more speed.

* * *

The vampires surrounding the ritual area could see the lights of a vehicle moving towards them at high speed. It was only when they realized that the vehicle wasn't going to stop or slow down did they begin to get very tense.

I wasn't even considering slowing down and I hit and ran over or sent flying about five vampires. The rest scattered and I drove through the area that all the hostiles and Faith were located. I saw Faith being dragged by Stacy and I saw The First as I drove through. I hit the brakes and spun the Warthog in a fast turn. I could feel two of my wheels start to leave the ground and I leaned the opposite way to use my weight to keep the vehicle from rolling. I sped back through the way I came and ran over some more vampires.

* * *

Faith could only watch helplessly, as she was being dragged by Stacy, as Michael drove a strange looking vehicle through, running over vampires. She watched as he sped through again running over more vampires and as Michael tried to do another sharp turn to circle back, Faith could only watch in horror as the vehicle started to flip and roll.

* * *

I had passed through the area again and knew that I had to get out of the Hog, I did another sharp turn and could feel once again the wheels leaving the ground, but this time I used my weight to go with the roll and as my Warthog started to roll I leaped out. I noted with satisfaction as the rolling Warthog crushed two more vampires that failed to get out of the way in time.

I hit the ground standing and had my assault rifle out and picked the closest vampires and made sure I put a short burst into each of their faces. I moved towards Faith, Stacy and The First.

* * *

Faith heaved a sigh of relief as she saw Michael leap from the rolling vehicle and landed safely. Faith noted with satisfaction that Michael was taking out more vampires, but Stacy was still dragging her towards the ritual circle where the vampire priests were still chanting to open the dimensional portal. Faith continued to struggle to slow or delay Stacy.

* * *

I put my assault rifle away and pulled the Covenant plasma pistol out. I figured I would only get one chance at the First and then I would have to quickly take out the rest to save Faith.

"Get ready Adriana." I said with anticipation.

It was at this point that I saw a dimensional portal begin to form around where two vampires were kneeling and Stacy was dragging Faith to. I wasn't going to have much time at all. I could only hold down the plasma pistol trigger for a maximum of 20 seconds to overcharge before the pistol would automatically discharge to prevent the pistol from overloading and blowing up.

I pressed and held the pistol trigger. I could hear the pistol begin to hum and see the green plasma charge build up.

* * *

The First watched the Spartan approach and pull out a strange looking weapon. The First was not worried, nothing could harm it, but still something was not right. The First started to back up slightly.

"You can't expect to hurt me with a glowing green light…" taunted The First.

"With this… No…" I replied releasing the trigger and feeling the weapon release its plasma charge.

Faith and Stacy were momentarily stunned as they saw a bright green ball of fire move at high speed towards The First. They both saw the ball of fire pass through The First and hit the opening dimensional portal.

I watched as the plasma charge passed through The First and hit the opening dimensional portal. I had known that would have probably happened, but it was the only shot I had. I watched as the portal quickly expanded and streaks of energy shot out of it. Somehow the plasma charge was interacting with the dimensional portal and not in a good way, but I didn't have time to worry about that.

Adriana had been monitoring the situation and as soon as the plasma charge had passed through The First, she had been scanning the fluctuations in its EM field and had started to adjust Michael's energy shield to bring into alignment. Adriana noted in satisfaction as she matched the shield frequencies and polarized the shield to activate.

"Michael! You're good to go! You've only got one minute!" Adriana cried out.

I didn't waste a second and sprinted towards The First…

* * *

The First saw the Spartan running towards it after the strange green ball of fire had gone through it, but it wasn't worried as nothing could harm it. Even though the shot had done no harm, The First felt strange… It had never felt like this before.

The Spartan was now facing it and The First laughed off the Spartan's feeble attempts to fight it. The First saw the 113 on the Spartan's armor and noticed the smaller winged eagle symbol with the letters UNSC. The First was still smiling as the Spartan drove his fist through its face…

* * *

Faith watched with extreme satisfaction as she saw Michael drive his armored fist through the head of The First. She saw Michael pull his hand from the head and then give the remains of the head a good twist to make sure that The First was dead.

Faith heard Stacy howl in rage and pain as she must have been connected to The First somehow and was feeling its death. Faith felt Stacy's grip on her weakening and Faith struck back catching Stacy across the face. Stacy rocked backwards from the blow and was bleeding from her nose.

"Not so strong now… Are you Bitch?" Faith said with satisfaction as she landed some more blows on Stacy.

* * *

I looked down at the remains of The First and it was quite evident that whatever The First was, it was quite dead now. I quickly reoriented myself to rescue Faith. I saw that whatever power The First had given Stacy was weakening as Faith was striking back at getting in some good hits on Stacy. The problem was that neither woman was paying attention to the dimensional portal that had been hit by my plasma charge. The portal was destabilizing and it was expanding and contracting to different sizes. The vampires that had been there had fled in terror and that left Faith and Stacy around the portal fighting. I started to cry out to warn Faith to move away from the portal when it suddenly expanded swallowing both Faith and Stacy.

I saw both women disappear in a flash. I didn't hesitate. I sprinted to the quickly closing portal and leaped to dive through it as it closed.

The portal closed behind Michael leaving behind an empty and deserted field…


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

_Paris IV – April 29, 2556 – 0949 Local Time_

Captain Henry Bondarev paced the bridge of his ship. His ship was the Marathon-class heavy cruiser UNSC _Crimson Splendor_. It had been part of a four ship task force. Bondarev's ship was the lead ship and had been supported by three Stalwart-class light frigates.

The task force had been doing a routine patrol, when they received a distress signal from a reclamation and recovery team on Paris IV. The planet had been "glassed" by the Covenant back in 2549. With the war over, the UNSC had been sending out teams to all the destroyed colony worlds to evaluate them for terraforming and recolonization.

The distress signal reported that several Covenant ships had entered orbit and had started landing troops on the planet. Before the distress signal was cut off the team reported incoming Phantoms and Banshees towards their camp.

Captain Bondarev had immediately ordered an intercept course to Paris IV. Captain Bondarev had also sent a report and a request for reinforcements to UNSC Naval Command, but with the UNSC Navy spread thin, reinforcements were at least five days away.

When the task force had exited Slip Space near Paris IV they had been confronted by a single CCS-class battlecruiser orbiting the planet. The battlecruiser was in the middle of unloading troops and equipment for supporting ground operations planet side.

Bondarev was an experienced veteran of the Human-Covenant war and he knew how tough Covenant battlecruisers could be, but he didn't hesitate to order an immediate attack. An hour later, Bondarev looked out his ship's bridge viewing port at the floating debris of the Covenant battlecrusier. It had been a hard and costly battle, two of his escorting frigates were also floating debris fields. The third frigate, the UNSC _Venture Forward _had suffered severe battle damage that Bondarev had ordered it to retire to the nearest fleet base for repairs. The heavy cruiser had taken some damage in the fight, but she was a tough ship and was still fully operational.

As the cruiser entered orbit above the planet, the ship's sensors picked up large numbers of Covenant air and ground traffic. The cruiser had deployed its Longsword air wing to lay in some airstrikes and reduce some of the Covenant forces on the planet, but it appeared that the Covenant had been able to establish a sizable and strong beachhead on the planet. Bondarev realized that he did not have the numbers or firepower to take out the Covenant forces planet side. His next priority became locating any survivors from the reclamation and recovery team and trying to evacuate them off the planet surface.

Ship sensors finally located about seventy-five survivors that were fleeing from Covenant forces that had attacked the reclamation team's base and were now pursuing them. Captain Bondarev made the decision to deploy what ground troops he had to support and evacuate the survivors. The Captain had onboard a full twenty-two man ODST combat team and two marine platoons. Captain Bondarev briefed the commanding officer of the ODST team and placed him in charge of the overall ground mission. The ODST team would drop first by orbital drop pod close to the survivors. The marine platoons would be brought in by Pelican dropship to support. Bondarev ordered the deployment of ground troops to protect and rescue the survivors on the planet.

* * *

Captain Richard (Stew) Suliga was a hardened veteran. He had joined the Marines during the war at age sixteen. Eighteen years later he was an ODST officer. With the war supposedly being over, Suliga was still making lots of combat drops, though this one was shaping up to be one of his roughest since the war ended.

Suliga's ODST team had dropped close enough to the survivors to get to them quickly and hold off a small Covenant pursuit force. The two Marine platoons arrived within twenty minutes by Pelican to reinforce. The Marine platoons arrived just in time as the group got hit by a larger Covenant force and they were forced to withdraw. Even though the human forces were forced to withdraw, they were able to do so in an orderly fashion under fire keeping the civilian survivors safe.

Captain Suliga was an experienced officer that he had planned for such contingencies. The Captain had mapped out fallback positions, before the drop, that could provide good defensive positions and pick-up points. The problem was would the Covenant co-operate and let them leave. From the Covenant response, it didn't look like they wanted anyone to leave… alive

Suliga was getting everyone organized to fall back to the next position when he received a call over the battle net from the cruiser.

"We have detected what looks like a small Slip Space rupture 1.5 kilometers North-East of your current position at map co-ordinates G43-R12."

"Shit!" thought Suliga, "It's not like I'm lounging around here doing nothing that I can go off and wander around looking for anomalies."

But being the good officer and soldier he was, the Captain responded, "We'll investigate as the opportunity presents itself…"

Luckily the co-ordinates were parallel to the path that the group was retreating to its next fallback position. Captain Suliga was going to detach a Marine squad to investigate, but he changed his mind and decided to send one of his four-man ODST teams instead.

Captain Suliga called over the ODST channel on the battle net, "Sargent Mazankowski… Take your team to map co-ordinates G43-R12… This is a Snoop and Look OP… In and out quick and quiet and meet up at the next fallback position… Understood?"

Captain Suliga heard the Sargent reply with an affirmative.

Some of the civilians and Marines looked puzzled and questioningly as they saw four Troopers head out…

* * *

Faith was disoriented as everything came back into focus. The last thing she remembered was that Michael had just killed The First and she had been fighting Stacy, then suddenly there was darkness and she found herself on this desolate looking landscape.

Faith looked around and she tried to orient herself to the new surroundings. "I guess I'm not in Kansas anymore…" Faith thought looking around worriedly.

As Faith looked around, she saw Stacy about 50 meters away. Stacy looked even more disoriented and confused. Faith rushed over and grabbed Stacy and threw her to the ground.

"Where the hell are we? How do we get home?" yelled Faith as she held Stacy up by her shirt.

Stacy still appeared dazed and confused, "I… I... I don't know…" Stacy said with fear and tears in her eyes.

"Well you better start knowing something… It was your boyfriend The First that opened the portal…" Faith said angrily.

Faith let go of Stacy dropping her and stood up. Faith looked around some more. It looked like a wasteland.

"Must be some kind of hell dimension…"Faith thought somberly.

"I know Michael will look for me, but where will he know to look?" Faith shook her head as she continued thinking.

Faith looked over and saw that Stacy had pulled herself to a sitting position and had her legs pulled up into her with her arms wrapped around them and she was rocking back and forth muttering to herself. Faith couldn't make out what Stacy was muttering about.

Faith tried to be angry with Stacy, but she could only look on her with sadness and pity now. Stacy was just a troubled young woman that had been forced to deal with some evil and terrible things and hadn't been able to cope with it. Faith had been about to go over and see Stacy and try to get to snap out of it, when she heard a noise in the sky and it was coming closer.

Faith looked up and in the distance she saw what looked like a small plane approaching. The plane got closer and then passed by Faith and Stacy. As the plane passed by, Faith got a close look at it. It wasn't like any plane she had ever seen before. The "plane" was a dark purple color, the main body section was big and bulbous with two small wings out the side and had what looked like jet engines attached to the small wings. The plane didn't look like it should be flying at all, but it was.

It looked like the plane hadn't seen them, but it did a sudden loop in the sky and started coming back towards Faith and Stacy. Faith was about to start waving to the plane, when something made her stop. She had a bad feeling about the oncoming plane. There was something about it that made her uneasy and cautious.

Faith turned to warn Stacy, when she heard a loud noise in the sky. Faith turned quickly and saw a green ball of fire coming right towards them. Faith noted that it looked very similar to what Michael had fired at The First, but this was much larger.

Faith yelled at Stacy to move, but Stacy just remained sitting rocking back and forth. Faith couldn't do anything but move and dive for cover.

As Faith dove for cover a huge explosion went off picking up and tossing Faith around and showering her with debris. Faith was momentarily dazed, but she quickly regained her senses. She looked back where Stacy had been and there was only a smoking hole in the ground and no more Stacy. Faith didn't have time to think about Stacy as the plane had done another loop and was headed back her way. Faith got up and ran…

As Faith ran, the plane started firing what looked like bolts of light. The shots were missing her, but she could feel her skin burn from the heat of the near misses.

Faith had run for what seemed like an eternity and she didn't know how much further she could go to keep avoiding this attacking plane.

Faith looked up with anger at her oncoming attacker. She was going to try and anticipate where the shots were going to go, when she suddenly heard a very loud and commanding voice yell.

"Get Down!"

Faith instinctively dove to the ground, trying to protect her unborn child. She suddenly heard a very loud and powerful machine gun open up followed by a whooshing sound. Faith looked up in time to watch the plane explode and see the debris fall from the sky.

Faith looked around and saw four people appear out of what seemed like nowhere. Faith noticed that the four people were wearing body armor and helmets that looked somewhat like Michael wore. She then noticed the winged eagle symbol with the letters UNSC.

Faith stood there trying to make sense of everything when one of the people said, "Are you alright Ma'am?"

Faith nodded and said, "I think so…"

Faith heard one of the soldiers mutter, "I so hate Banshees…"

The soldier that had spoken to Faith said, "Ma'am if you're able to move, we need to get going… There are too many Covenant around here and I don't think we should be standing around waiting…"

"Is there anyone else with you?" the soldier asked.

Faith looked back to where Stacy had been, "No… I'm alone."

The four soldiers and Faith started their hike to meet back up with the main group at the next fallback position.

* * *

Captain Suliga was puzzled and he didn't like puzzles. His recon team had located and brought back a female survivor, but she was wearing strange clothes and none of the other survivors recognized or knew who she was. The Captain had ordered a medic to check out the female for any injuries and to also check for anything else that could be a threat or might explain what was going on. Suliga was shocked to hear, when the medic reported back that the woman was pregnant.

The Captain would have liked more time to ask this woman some questions about where she had come from and why she was here, but the Covenant were making another push and the Captain had to organize another pull out to another position. The problem was that they were running out of places to fallback to and it was going to get ugly soon unless they could get the Pelicans in to pick up everyone.

* * *

On board the UNSC _Crimson Splendor_, one of the crewmen noticed something on his sensor display and reported it immediately to Captain Bondarev.

"Captain… I'm picking up another small Slip Space rupture on the planet surface…"


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

I came through the portal into a world of explosions and fire. My shields flared and my instincts took over. I ducked and rolled and came up with my assault rifle drawn and ready. At the same time I had Adriana light up my sensors and identify any hostile targets.

I had jumped through the portal to try and follow Faith after she and Stacy had been sucked into it. I had no idea where we would end up, but I was Faith's only hope of getting home.

"Michael… I'm picking up Covenant electronic emissions!" Adriana said with alarm.

"Damn… It just gets better." I thought.

"Anything from Faith's transponder?" I asked.

"Faint signal to the North… Extreme range… I… I… I… I… I am plotting the NAV pointttttt." Adriana said as my helmet display started flashing.

"Damn…" I thought. Adriana's rampancy was getting worse.

"How're you doing? You're going to stay with me?" I asked Adriana.

"It is getting worseeeeee… willllllllll do my best Michaelllllllllllll." Adriana replied.

"Michaelllllll… I ammmmmm also picking uppppp faint UNSC commmmmmm trafficccccc." Adriana reported.

"It appearssssss to be comingggggg frommmm the sameeeee directionnnnnn as Faith'sssss signallllllll." Adriana continued.

It broke my heart to hear what was happening to Adriana. "Just try to focus on one thing Adriana… I know you can do it." I said.

"I willlll tryyyyy. There areeeee soooo many voicessss speakingggg." Adriana replied.

I watched as a large number of red hostile targets started to appear on my sensor display.

"Time to move…" I muttered to myself.

I started moving towards the waypoint that Adriana had marked on my NAV system.

* * *

Captain Suliga was in a bad position and he knew it. His ODST and marine fire support teams had fallen back into a valley where there had once been a town. All that was left was rubble and building ruins. They had at least some cover, but the ridge lines had a good view looking down at the town site. There was only one fallback position left and they still couldn't call in any Pelicans to pick up the civilians and soldiers. The Covenant forces had moved up some anti-air units and anything flying in and out would get blown out of the sky.

Captain Suliga's forward observation posts were seeing a lot of Covenant troops moving up the valley floor and along the ridge lines. It was only a matter of time before they pushed hard. Suliga knew that his men would make a good account of themselves and make the Covenant pay dearly, but it was a simple matter of numbers and firepower. The Covenant had the numbers and firepower. If they could take out the air defenses, they could evacuate everyone to orbit and if they could take out the shield covering the Covenant troop area, then the UNSC _Crimson Splendor _could launch a Shiva nuclear missile and take out the major command and control and supply location for the Covenant forces on this planet.

"Captain?" a voice called out.

Captain Suliga turned and saw the female his men had found out on the battlefield that had appeared out of nowhere.

"Yes… Faith is it?" as the Captain replied trying to recall the young woman's name.

"Yes… How bad is it?" the young woman asked in a low whisper.

The captain was tempted to lie, but looking into the woman's eyes, he could see that she had seen combat and death before. He also knew that Faith was pregnant and didn't want to give her any false hope.

"It's bad… The Covenant are going to roll over us. We'll bleed them, but this is pretty much the end of the road. When it gets really bad, I'm going to split off one squad to take you and the rest of the civilians and fall back to our last defensive position. From there if the Covenant move on you, your only hope will be to break into smaller groups and try to evade the enemy for as long as possible until reinforcements arrive... The Covenant doesn't take prisoners."

The Captain saw the sad look in the Faith's eyes. "Can I have a weapon?" she asked.

The Captain was hesitant giving a weapon to a civilian.

"I know how to fire an assault rifle… I was taught by one of the best…" Faith smirked as she said it as smiling to her own inside joke.

The Captain yelled out, "Carter! Get me an extra weapon and spare clips."

It was only a moment before a soldier returned carrying an extra assault rifle and a bandolier with at least six extra clips.

The Captain handed the assault rifle to Faith, "This is a MA5 assault rifle. It fires the UNSC standard M118 7.62x51mm Armor Piercing, Full Metal Jacket round in a 32 round clip. There is an ammo indicator here. When empty the clip pulls out of the weapon stock and you then insert a fresh clip."

The Captain asked Faith to try swapping clips and he was impressed on how quickly she picked up on how to use and handle the weapon.

"Since I don't have any spare com equipment to tie you into our battle net, for now you stick close to me just like glue… When I tell you to bug out… You run back towards the edge of town and hook up with 3rd squad and fallback… Understand me." Captain Suliga said using his commanding officer's tone meaning that he would tolerate no discussion or deviation from his orders.

Faith nodded and said, "Yes…Sir!"

This brought a smile to the Captain's grim face and he nodded back to Faith.

It wasn't long before the forward outposts reported incoming waves of Grunts towards their positions.

"Aimed controlled bursts… Don't spray and pray…" The Captain said to Faith.

Faith could only watch in awe as waves of small aliens came streaming down the west valley hill towards the town site. The aliens almost looked kind of funny if they hadn't been carrying weapons and firing towards her.

Faith heard the Captain say, "Wait for it…"

The "grunts" as the Captain called them were getting closer, but Faith held her fire. It almost looked like the grunts were going to walk over all of them.

Suddenly the Captain yelled out, "OPEN FIRE! Let'em have it!"

All the positions facing the attacking Covenant suddenly opened fire cutting down the lead ranks of Grunts. Faith pulled on the trigger of her assault weapon and could feel and hear the rapid firing of the weapon. She maintained control and picked her targets.

As she took down her first target, she had the brief thought that she had killed another living being that wasn't a demon, but she quickly rationalized that these aliens were trying to kill her and her baby, so any moral ambiguity was quickly silenced.

Faith kept up her fire and quickly changed clips as she emptied them. The Captain would occasionally glance towards Faith to see how she was doing and couldn't help but be impressed with her performance.

"She's good… Whoever did teach her was an expert." the Captain thought as he quickly got back into fighting the grunts and commanding his men.

Faith kept firing short bursts and then changed clips as she emptied them. It seemed like she had been fighting forever when she heard the Captain yell out.

"CEASE FIRE… CEASE FIRE!"

That was when Faith noticed that those Grunts still alive were running back up the hill. The Covenant attack had left the bodies of Grunts strewn across the hill side.

"All fire teams switch to alternate firing positions… Casualty Report!" Faith heard Captain Suliga call out to his unit.

Faith watched as the Captain appeared apprehensive as he waited for the casualty report to come in. She saw him release a little sigh as it appeared that only minor injuries were being reported.

* * *

Captain Suliga heard the incoming casualty reports. He breathed a sigh of relief as they had only had a few minor injuries.

"All teams restock on your ammo loadouts while you can… This was only the first wave." Suliga said over the battle net.

Captain Suliga turned and looked at Faith, "Not bad for a civilian… Who taught you to shoot?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you…" Faith said with a smirk.

"Was it your husband?" Suliga asked.

This caught Faith by surprise as Michael and her had never even discussed marriage.

"Not my husband… I'm not married…" Faith replied kind of embarrassed.

"The father of the baby then?" Suliga replied.

"Yeah… The guy who knocked me up taught me how to shoot." Faith said with another smirk.

"Is the father around if you don't mind me asking?" Suliga asked. Normally he wouldn't be so nosy, but this woman interested him and there was something about her.

"I don't know where the father is right now, but if I know Michael he's looking for me right now." Faith said with conviction in her voice.

Suliga didn't give much hope for this Michael character still being alive as there was Covenant all over the place, but he wouldn't shatter Faith's illusion of the father still being alive. Things were bad enough and she was a good rifleman and he could use every rifleman that he had right now.

At that moment another cry came over the battle net, "INCOMING!"

Another wave of Grunts was coming down the hill towards their positions…


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

I had cleared out the area that I had portaled into. I was looking at the remains of a Grunt strike team with some Brutes overseeing them. I had caught them by surprise and taken them all out before they could call in reinforcements.

I was at least 10 kilometers from the position where Faith's transponder and the UNSC communications were coming from. I moved quickly and quietly towards the location on my NAV system. I moved around the major troop concentration areas as I didn't want to get bogged down in fighting… yet.

* * *

Captain Suliga was proud of his men. They had held off three attacking waves of Covenant forces. Ammo resupply was an ongoing concern, The UNSC _Crimson Splendor _was making ammo resupplies using orbital drop pods, most were getting through the anti-air defenses and landing in the defense perimeter, but the cruiser only carried so many drop pods and Suliga was worried that things were going to get nastier as his force had managed to piss off the enemy.

As if on cue, Suliga could only look in horror as he saw the bright red plasma balls arching up and starting to fall towards his positions.

Suliga screamed over the battle net, "INCOMING WRAITH FIRE… TAKE COVER!"

Captain Suliga pulled Faith deeper into their firing position and used his body to shield her since he was in ODST armor and she had none.

Huge explosions went off among the defense perimeter. Suliga could hear the screams for help and the cries cutoff in mid-sentence indicating that person was no longer conscious or alive.

Faith huddled under the Captain in shock. She was scared as the only thing close to this she had ever encountered was during the Battle of the Hellmouth, but this was surreal. Faith wished that Michael was here. She was scared for her baby.

Suliga called in over the net to the UNSC _Crimson Splendor _to see if they could provide air support with her Longsword fighters.

The cruiser replied back that they were trying to push through an air strike, but Covenant air defenses were too resistant…

* * *

I was getting closer to Faith's position and I saw the Wraiths open up. There were five Wraiths providing indirect fire support with minimal ground troop support. I had a pretty good idea of who they were shooting at. I needed to shut them down. I made my way up behind the closest Wraith. The Brute in the plasma gunner position wasn't paying too much attention.

"Adriana tag all five Wraiths on my targeting system… Time to take them out."

"Copy that Michael… All Wraiths have been tagged." Adriana replied as she managed to focus and control her rampancy for the moment.

"Just like old times…" I said.

"Yes… Just like old times." Adriana replied with a mix of happiness and sadness in her voice.

I sprinted for the first Wraith. I caught the gunner looking the other way and took him out with a head shot from my battle rifle. The Wraith driver hadn't noticed that his gunner was dead as I climb aboard and shoved a plasma grenade into the Wraith by its main gun and power plant. I leaped off and headed for the next Wraith.

I was 3/4 quarters of the way to the next Wraith when the plasma grenade went off in the first Wraith. That vehicle went up in a huge explosion. All the Covenant troops looked towards the exploding burning vehicle and missed me moving towards the next Wraith. The Brute plasma gunner caught sight of me and he opened up with his gun. I dodged his plasma gun bursts and leaped on top of the Wraith just before it started moving.

I drove my fist into the Brute's head and took him out. I fired a quick burst from battle rifle and killed the driver. I reached down and heaved his body out. I jumped into the driver seat and started cycling up the targeting system. I had caught the other three Wraiths looking the other way. I turned and aimed at the Wraith closest to me and I pressed the firing button on the weapons console. As soon as I fired I put the Wraith in motion and moved backwards.

The Wraith I fired at went up in flames and I quickly moved to a new firing position to take out the next Wraith…

* * *

Captain Suliga couldn't understand it. One moment his defensive positions were getting pummeled by a Wraith bombardment and the next it was all clear. It wasn't like the Covenant to just stop, something was up.

"Hawkins! You still monitoring Covenant battle traffic?" The Captain shouted out over the unit battle net.

The soldier named Hawkins replied, "Yes Sir… It's a mess. Something is raising havoc with the Covenant… I can't make heads or tails of it… The Covenant are almost in a panic…"

"Must be the Crimson… She must have gotten an air strike through…" the Captain muttered to himself.

The Captain looked at Faith, "Maybe things are changing for the better…" he said.

The Captain was just starting to get a slight optimistic feeling when another cry came over the battle net…

"HUNTERS!"

* * *

Faith could only watch. One moment they were getting hit by the explosive balls of light and the next it was clear. She saw Captain Suliga look relieved that the bombardment was over when she heard the cry. She saw the Captain turn towards the Valley floor and the ridgeline that the Grunt attacks had come from. Faith looked where the Captain was looking and she saw two huge creatures coming down the hill and two more coming along the valley floor. These were huge creatures, they had to be standing at least fourteen feet tall and wearing heavy armor. The creatures had a weapon on their right hand and it would glow and fire a green ball of light that would explode when it hit something.

Whatever the creatures were, they were big, strong, dangerous and moving towards them. Faith looked at the Captain. He was talking to his remaining men on the battle net.

"Bring up the rocket launchers… Don't stay in one place. Keep moving and keep the Hunters away from those civilians…" the Captain instructed his men.

Captain Suliga turned to Faith and said, "Stay close and be ready… It's going to be bug out time soon for you."

Faith watched as she saw several Marines and Troopers move up carrying what she assumed were the rocket launchers the Captain had called for. She watched as the soldiers fired off rockets at the creatures called Hunters. She saw the creatures make themselves smaller and use a shield attached to their left arm to deflect the rockets and other fire.

Faith could only watch helplessly as one of the Hunters took out a Marine rocket team and continued advancing closer to the defense perimeter. Finally one of the rockets got through and took out one of the Hunters coming down the hill. Faith let out a little cheer for the soldiers, but the remaining Hunter seemed to get more enraged and started storming towards the humans.

* * *

Captain Suliga was getting desperate. He had lost at least one rocket team and had taken out one Hunter, but he just didn't have the men or firepower to take down three more Hunters. The Hunters would soon be within his defense perimeter and the civilians would soon be very exposed. The Captain shuddered at the thought of the civilians trying to move while being chased by Hunters. Captain Suliga was about to give the order for the civilians and Faith to bug out when he heard a cry over the battle net, "Who the hell is that?"

* * *

I had taken out the Wraiths and the support infantry. Adriana had been monitoring the UNSC battle net and let me know that Hunters were moving on their positions. I kicked myself into overdrive to hurry up and get to the human positions. Adriana reported that the Marines had managed to take out one of the Hunters. I came to the crest of the ridge. I had all the targets up on my sensor display. I had all the UNSC IFF's tagged and I had Faith's transponder tagged as well.

"Michael… I must recommend against engaging three Hunters simultaneously. The chances that you may get caught in a cross fire is exponentially higher…" Adriana reported.

I just smiled inside in my helmet, "A cross fire can work both ways… Open a com channel on the UNSC battle net… Adriana." I said.

"Com channel open…" Adriana replied.

I called out over the com channel, "UNSC forces… This is Sierra-113… Repeat this is Sierra-113. Keep firing on the two Hunters in the valley to keep them occupied while I engage…"

* * *

"Sweet Jesus… I must be hearing things…" Captain Suliga said as he heard the broadcast.

"Everybody… Keep the Hunters busy… We got ourselves Spartan support!" the Captain said with a mixture of relief, excitement and surprise in his voice.

Faith turned to face where the Captain was watching, she had heard him say the word Spartan. She had hoped it was Michael. She watched as a Spartan came over the crest of the ridge. She would have recognized Michael from anywhere. Michael came into view and started to engage the first Hunter…

* * *

I was approaching the Hunter on the hill from behind, which was perfect as its vulnerable back was exposed to me. I opened up with my assault rifle emptying the whole clip into its back. The Hunter groaned from the hits and started to turn to face me. I was running past the Hunter and as I went by I timed it perfectly and stuck a pair of plasma grenades on its back. After I passed by the Hunter I quickly changed clips in my assault rifle. I heard and felt the plasma grenades go off. I saw the red hostile target on my sensor display for the Hunter fade. I used my momentum going down the hill to gather more speed and moved in on the remaining Hunters.

Faith could only watch in awe and helplessly as Michael battled the Hunters. Michael seemed so small compared to those huge creatures, but he didn't hesitate to attack. He had already taken out one Hunter and was moving fast using the speed he built up from running down the hill. He was coming at the remaining Hunters from their side. Faith watched as the Hunters finally realized that the bigger threat was the lone Spartan and not the other human forces.

* * *

I saw the Hunters turning to face me. I had their attention now. I was going to be passing in front of them. I could see their assault cannons start to charge up. They were anticipating my move and were going to try and catch me… It was all in the timing.

I was almost in front of the Hunters about 15 meters away and I could see the charge in their assault cannons pulsating getting ready to fire. I planted my right foot hard and pushed off to move quickly to my left as they fired. A huge explosion went off where I should have been. My shields flared and dirt and debris rained down on me. I only had a few seconds before the Hunter's assault cannons recharged.

Faith watched and held her breath as she saw Michael change his direction at the last moment with the Hunters just barely missing him with their shots.

Captain Suliga saw what the Spartan had done. The Hunters were turning away from his defensive positions to face off against the Spartan. The Hunters were now exposing their vulnerable backs to them. Suliga smiled an anticipating smile and called out over the battle net.

"Rocket teams they're showing us their backsides. Hit'em hard now!"

Two rockets roared out. One hit a Hunter square in the back exploding and killing that Hunter. The second rocket just missed deflecting off the second Hunter's armor and exploding. This caused the last Hunter to turn and face towards the rocket team that had launched the missile. The assault cannon built up its charge and was getting ready to fire. The rocket team was caught out in the open and they were scrambling for cover. I came in from the Hunter's left side. I miss-timed my jump as the Hunter slashed at me with its shield catching me hard and throwing me back through the air about 10 meters…

Faith watched as she saw Michael get swatted by the Hunter's armored shield and thrown through the air and hit the ground. "Michael!" she screamed in fear and panic.

Captain Suliga heard Faith scream and turned and looked at her in a sort of dumbfounded shock as he realized that the Spartan was the person who had taught Faith how to shoot and was the "guy that knocked her up" as she put it.

I hit the ground hard and had the wind knocked out of me. I quickly recovered as I knew I couldn't lay there an easy target. I jumped up and ran towards the Hunter. The Hunter was taking aim again towards the human positions again.

This time I made sure of my leap and caught a hold of the Hunter's shield. As the Hunter started to try and shake me off the shield, I leaped again and flipped across to the Hunter's back. I was now hanging on to the Hunter's back. I held on with my left hand and with my right I grabbed a frag grenade. I primed the grenade and shoved deep into the Hunters back through the collection of worms that make up a Hunter, making a squishing sound. I leaped off the Hunter with a back flip landing on one knee facing towards the Hunter as it tried to turn around to face me. The hunter only partly made it through its turn when it exploded from the grenade shredding the body flinging pieces of worm everywhere.

Faith had watched Michael leap on the Hunter and get on its back. She was scared for him the whole time watching him fight. As she saw the Hunter explode and Michael stand up and walk towards the perimeter, she let out a sigh of relief. She was tempted to run to Michael, but they were still in a battle zone. She could hear the soldiers cheer as the smoke cleared and the Spartan was walking towards them.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Captain Suliga was dealing with what could only be described as a surreal moment. One moment his unit and the civilians they were protecting were being blasted by Wraiths and Hunters and now a Spartan shows up out of nowhere and they currently had a quiet and somewhat secure perimeter.

What added to the surrealism was that as the Spartan came into the perimeter, the woman, Faith, that they had found ran up and jumped up and hugged the Spartan. The Captain wasn't the only one that was shocked by the sight of the Spartan hugging a woman. All the soldiers had either seen or heard of the stories of how distant and remote that the Spartans tended to act. They were all business and very little talk.

The captain knew that he was dealing with a Spartan as it had the older mark VI armor on and had a slightly scorched 113 on the left chest. Whatever the story was for the Spartan being here, the Captain wasn't going to argue as the Spartan had saved their asses… for now.

The Captain had called for a command meeting in his command post. The Spartan was there with Faith tagging behind him. The Spartan sat down on some rubble and removed his helmet. The Captain saw that he was dealing with a veteran as it was an older fellow and you could see by his face and eyes that this Spartan had seen lots of combat and had to be very good and lucky to survive this long.

"I don't know where you came from… But thanks for the assist." Captain Suliga said with a relieved smile.

"Anything to help." I replied.

"I take it that you were also responsible for removing our Wraith problem?" the Captain asked.

I just nodded to the Captain.

"What's the situation?" I asked.

"I have two understrength Marine platoons and my ODST team to provide cover for seventy-five civilians that were a part of the reclamation team on this planet." the Captain reported.

The Captain continued, "We can evacuate via Pelicans to the UNSC _Crimson Splendor _in orbit, but the problem is that the Covenant forces have some heavy air defenses planted on that far ridgeline 7 kilometers away. There is also a heavily shielded command and control center another 25 kilometers past the air defenses. Drone and orbital recon shows that the Covenant forces are using it to build up a base of operations on this planet."

"What about reinforcements?" I asked.

"At least another 5-7 days… If it wasn't for the shield, the Crimson could just fire a Shiva missile and we could just nuke the site from orbit…" the Captain replied.

I looked at the problem facing us. "First priority is to neutralize those air defenses and evacuate everyone…" I said.

After a pause, I continued, "…then someone needs to take down the shield generator for the cruiser to get a missile strike through…"

Faith quickly interjected herself into the briefing, "Michael… Don't even think about it…" she said with a voice that was growing in concern and worry with the direction this conversation was taking.

I turned and faced Faith. I held and cupped her face in one of my armored hands. I looked into her eyes. I could see the love and fear in her eyes.

"I have to do this… I am the only one that can clear out the air defenses." I said.

"I know you Michael… You are going to try and take down that shield aren't you?" Faith said as she held a hand to my face.

I smiled and replied, "Yes… I can't lie to you… I'm going to go for the shield… If I don't the Covenant will have more time to build up and fortify their base here and when reinforcements come, it will be a hard and bloody fight with many dying… I can prevent those deaths and save lives if I do it."

I could see tears forming in Faith's eyes, "We could just leave… You don't have to do this… I don't want you to go… Why does it always have to be you?" she pleaded.

I leaned in and touched my forehead to hers. "You know I can't run out on these people. They need me… This is who I am… Besides it will be okay… You go with the Captain here and evacuate to orbit. They'll get you back to Earth. I'll take out the air defenses and shield and before the nuke hits, I'll portal back to Virgil and then come back and get you and we can go home together…" I said in a low whisper.

"You promise…" Faith said trying to control her emotions.

"I will love you always and I will always love our child… That's my promise." I said as I moved my armored hand to place over Faith's stomach where our unborn child was.

"Damn you for making me love you so much…" Faith said with a smile as she leaned in and kissed me.

Captain Suliga and the rest of his command staff tried to find somewhere else to look as they were feeling quite awkward being around this private and emotional moment.

The Captain thought, "In all my years and whenever I had dealings with Spartans I never considered them truly human… They seem so much larger than life. Who would have thought?"

After Faith and I had finished our tender moment together, I managed to put back on my game face and turned to the Captain and his command staff.

"Alert the cruiser to have their Pelicans on standby. I'll head out in 15 minutes and take out the air defenses. I'll have Adriana tie into your communications net so we can co-ordinate the Pelicans to come in quickly once the air defenses are down… We can then call in the missile strike once the shield generator has been taken out…"

The Captain turned to his staff, "You heard the plan… Make sure that the civilians are ready to load as soon as the first Pelican is through. Once the civilians are off, then first and second platoons will board. My ODST team will be last off and provide cover… Any questions?"

The soldiers were all experienced and well trained. They knew what was expected and there were no questions.

"Okay people let's get moving…" the Captain said.

The Captain and I walked out of the command post together.

"I'll need whatever blastpaks you have on hand… It will make taking out the air defenses and shield generator easier."

"No problem… Take whatever you need." Captain Suliga replied.

"Captain… This may sound strange. I have been out of communication for some time. How is the war going?" I asked.

The Captain looked at me strangely, "You must have been off the grid for some time… The war has been over for over 3 years now…"

"The war… is over?" I said confused and puzzled.

The Captain explained how the Covenant forces had attacked Earth and that a power struggle had ensued that split the Covenant. The Captain also told me how the Flood had also shown up and attacked Earth as well and if it hadn't been for the Master Chief, the Earth would have been destroyed, but by his actions and sacrifice he was able to have humans and the majority of the Covenant come to a peace agreement.

"But what about these Covenant?" I asked.

"There are still some holdout Covenant groups that refuse to accept the peace treaty, but they are in the minority. The UNSC was in the process of cleanup and terra-forming this planet for us to reclaim when these renegade forces attacked."

"Captain… I need to ask a favor." I said hesitantly.

"A Spartan with a pregnant girlfriend and now he's asking me for a favor… It never ceases to amaze me what wonders I see the longer I live…" Captain Suliga thought.

"You saved our asses… Just name it." the Captain said with no hesitation.

I opened a storage compartment on my battle armor and reached in and pulled out a photograph. It was a picture of Faith and me together at a restaurant on one of our trips. Faith had asked the waiter to take our picture. Faith had managed to convince me to smile… I smiled at the memory. I handed the picture to the Captain.

"If anything happens can you give her this? She has no one around here except for me… Can you make sure she gets to Earth…" I asked.

"It would be my honor…" the Captain replied.

"Thank you Captain." I said.

"Just make sure that she gets on that Pelican… She can be quite stubborn and she is stronger than she looks…" I added with a slight smirk.

The Captain nodded.

I went and stocked up on ammo and grenades. I got the blastpaks and got ready to move out towards the ridge where the air defenses were emplaced.

Faith was hanging around me quietly watching me get ready.

"Michael…"

"Yes Faith…" I replied.

"You will be careful… I can't do this by myself… I don't think I'm strong enough to raise a child by myself…" Faith said with worry in her voice.

I looked at Faith, "You're stronger than you think you are… Anyway the plan is for me to hit hard and fast and then get out… When we get back home… No more First or looking over our shoulders… Just you, me and the baby."

I got up and Faith came over and hugged me and we shared one more kiss before I put my helmet on and headed out.

* * *

Captain Suliga was nervous, but he wasn't showing it. Years of combat experience had trained him on how to hide pre-combat jitters. He wasn't the one going into combat, but there was so much that could go wrong and he had seventy-five… no… make that seventy-six civilians plus an unborn child that he was responsible to protect.

The UNSC _Crimson Splendor _had scrambled its Pelicans and they were coming in, but they would hold on station outside the range of the Covenant air defense system for as long as possible.

The Spartan was on the battle net and communications had been sparse to minimize any EM detection.

The Captain continued pacing. The Spartan should be engaging the Covenant soon. Just at that moment, the Captain heard something over the battle network.

"Sierra-113… Contact report… Engaging."

Faith was sitting and she could hear the explosions and shooting far off in the distance. She would occasionally see bright flashes of light. She held herself tighter and tried not to think of what was happening to Michael.

Captain Suliga was watching the distance battle as well. There wasn't much coming over the battle net.

After what seemed like an eternity, but was only about fifteen minutes after the initial contact report another report came in over the battle net.

"Area secure…"

Captain Suliga responded back, "Are all guns neutralized?"

The only response was, "Wait for it…"

Suddenly the distance ridgeline erupted in bright lights and huge explosions…

"Oorah" said the Captain.

* * *

The whine of Pelican engines was deafening. As soon as the air defenses had been taken out, they came rushing in and landed at the town site. The Marines and ODST's continued keeping an alert eye, but there was a happier and relieved mood among the soldiers. They were getting pulled out from a fight that looked like was going to kill all of them several hours ago.

Captain Suliga watched as the last Pelican loaded with civilians lifted off. The Marines were the next in line to load up and lift off. Captain Suliga and his ODST unit would be the last to leave. He turned and looked over at Faith, she still hadn't been evacuated. She was standing looking towards the far ridgeline where the Spartan… Michael had taken out the Covenant air defenses. Suliga had thought of ordering Faith on one of the earlier Pelicans, but she had fought well and this was a "special" circumstance.

A call came over the battle net, "Hammer Team… This is Sierra-113… SITREP"

Captain Suliga took the call, "Sierra-113 this is Hammer Actual… Civilians are away with no problems… Marines are loading as we speak… My unit and precious cargo are loading last… No enemy contact… What is your status?"

There was a pause, "Hammer Actual… Remember that favor I asked you…"

Suliga got a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, "I remember… I'll take care of it… I promise. Anything I can do before we leave?"

"Thanks Hammer Actual… Can I talk to Faith?"

Suliga had to do many hard and difficult tasks during his military career, but this seemed to be one of the hardest he had ever done.

Suliga walked over to where Faith was standing. Faith turned towards Suliga. He handed her a headset to put on. "He wants to talk to you…" the Captain said.

Faith was hesitant and finally took the headset and put it on. "Michael…" She said not really caring about any radio protocol on the battle net.

"I'm here…" Faith heard the reply over the com channel.

The voice continued speaking with a hesitant catch, "I'm sorry Faith… I took a heavy plasma blast… The recall device is fried… I won't… I won't be able to be there for you…"

Faith just listened numbly… She had known that something like this would happen… There was going to be no happy ending.

"Nooooo! I can't do this alone… I need you!" Faith cried over the battle net.

The voice on the other end continued speaking, "I love you so much… The Covenant forces are regrouping and will be making a push towards me and then your position… You have to leave now!"

"I've said good-bye to you so many times… I don't want… I'm not leaving you… I said never again!" Faith continued crying over the radio channel.

"Faith… You have to go… I need to know that you and the baby are safe… You and the baby are all that matters to me… Please go… I'm begging you…" the voice continued pleading.

"No! Damn it… We're a family! I'm not leaving!" Faith replied with tears and anger.

"Hammer Actual… This is Sierra-113… I am asking you to do that favor for me now…"

It took five ODST soldiers to drag a kicking, screaming and crying Faith on to the last Pelican.

A lone figure on a distance ridge watched the last Pelican take off and make its way up and away to safety with its precious cargo…


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

I watched as the last Pelican climbed into the sky. I knew that Faith was on board. I wished that I was with her. I had been lucky to a point and caught the air defense emplacements napping and had taken out most of the defenders before they could mount much resistance. My luck ran out when a Grunt managed to hit me with a major overcharge blast from a plasma pistol. My shields absorbed the hit, but the EM surge fried the Forerunner inter-dimensional recall device. I had asked Adriana to check and see if there was anything she could do, but it appeared quite hopeless.

As I watched the Pelican fly away, there was a brief second where a part of me wanted to call them back to pick me up. I realized that I was afraid of dying… I never had that fear before. I had something to live for now and I didn't want to lose it. I could still abandon my "suicide" run to take out the shield generator, but as I had told Faith, other soldiers would have to come in and fight and a lot of them would die. I couldn't live with that guilt… I had the best chance of success at a minimal cost… though that cost was not considered minimal to Faith or our child.

I did a weapons check and scrounged some plasma grenades for the next phase. As I was doing my weapons check, Adriana spoke to me, "Mich… Michaelllll… Are you…you sure about this course of actionnnnnn?"

"To be honest Adriana… I'm not too sure of anything right now… All things considered I would rather be on a beach somewhere else." I replied smiling at my attempted joke.

* * *

_Adriana accessed one last algorithm that Virgil had given her to try and manage her rampancy. She knew it wouldn't last very long, but she wanted to be able to think and talk clearly to help Michael at this time. Adriana was sad… not just that she was going to die, but that Michael was sacrificing himself as well… Adriana used the current quietness from all her voices to do another check on the recall device to see if she could do anything to fix it…_

_The major problem was that one of the transfer circuits had overloaded and fried out when the plasma overcharge had hit Michael… There appeared no way to bridge the circuit to activate the system. It would take Virgil's resources to repair the system. This still didn't deter Adriana from continuing to look for a solution to this problem. There had to be something that she could do… She didn't want Michael to die. Adriana loved him too much to have him go out like this._

_Adriana had given lots of time and thought to her feelings for Michael. She knew that they could never really be together and she had a twinge of jealousy towards Faith because she got to touch and hold Michael. Adriana was happy that Michael had found someone to love and be with. She just couldn't let it end like this. There had to be something…_

* * *

I finished my weapons check. I had the command center and shield generator marked on my NAV system.

"So what is the plan Michael?" Adriana asked.

I walked over to an overturned Ghost and flipped it over. I did a quick check of the vehicle, aside from some minor body damage it appeared to be working fine.

"We go in hard and fast… No stops… We secure the shield generator area and bring down the shield… We then call up the UNSC _Crimson Splendor _and…" I said trailing off.

After what seemed like an eternity, I said, "If it's going to end like this… I'm glad you're still with me…"

"I would rather be on that beach you mentioned if I had any choice…" Adriana replied and I laughed at her joke.

I mounted the Ghost and hit the accelerator and started moving towards the target.

* * *

I stopped just over two kilometers from the Covenant base. I used my enhanced vision and helmet optics to do a quick look of the base area and get a feel for the land. I saw Grunts and Brutes moving around the base. There were plasma gun turrets surrounding the base and they were unfortunately already manned and appeared alert. Luckily I didn't see any other vehicles, especially Wraiths present.

"How does it look?" Adriana asked.

"Do you want the truth… or the TRUTH?" I said with a smirk.

Adriana chuckled at our old shared joke. "So what are you going to do?" she asked.

"I thought I would change things up a bit and just shoot my way in…" I said.

"Uh huh… This plan is filling me with confidence." Adriana replied again with a chuckle.

I smiled as we did our back and forth repartee.

"Just like old times…" I said.

I heard Adriana sigh, "Just like old times…" she replied.

* * *

_Adriana opened an encrypted communications channel without telling Michael. She called the AI on the UNSC Crimson Splendor._

_"__This is UNSC AI Adriana… Do you read me?"_

_"__This is Adelino, I am the AI for the UNSC Crimson Splendor… How may I assist you?_

_"__Adelino… I am currently in the final stages of rampancy… The Spartan I have been assigned to has little chance of surviving this current mission."_

_"__I am aware of the current status of your Spartan's mission. I am afraid there is no support that I can provide… I am sorry to hear about your rampancy…" replied Adelino._

_"__I know that you cannot provide any help… I want to perform a data dump of all my logs… I want everyone to know that Sierra-113 has continued to perform and uphold his duty in the finest traditions of the UNSC…" Adriana said in a sad and proud tone._

_"__I understand… You may begin your data transfer…" Adelino said._

_Adriana began the data transfer. As the data transferred occurred, the AI Adelino was reviewing the information flashing by._

_"__Vampires? Magic? I find that all very hard to believe." Adelino replied as he reviewed the data._

_"__I found it very hard to believe myself at first… I had many discussions with a wiccan named Willow about magic and its relation to…" Adriana had trailed off as she was speaking as an idea had suddenly occurred to her._

_"__Something wrong Adriana?" the other AI asked as he was thinking that the rampancy had caused Adriana's sudden silence._

_"__No… Everything is fine… Well as fine as it can be considering the circumstances. Thank you for your assistance… I need to do some research and I do not have a lot of time."_

* * *

I remounted the Ghost and prepared to start my final run towards the Covenant base.

"Adriana when we get within 400 meters of the base, light up the targeting scanners and tag all hostiles and set a NAV point for the shield generator…" I asked.

There was a slight delay, but then Adriana responded, "Understood Michael."

"Is everything okay?" I asked Adriana.

"I am good to go…" replied the AI.

I powered up the Ghost and headed towards the Covenant base. When I got to 500 meters out, I shifted power from the weapons system and gave a speed boost to the Ghost. I rocketed towards the base and the closest plasma gun turret.

When I hit the 400 meter mark, Adriana lit up my sensor display and all the targets started coming up. There were a lot of red hostile targets showing up. At the same time the plasma gunner saw me and started opening up. The other turrets were trying to bring their fire to bear, but I was moving too fast for them to track me.

I was locked in directly on the gun turret and the gunner could see that. The gunner was starting to panic and the fire became more erratic. It was all in the timing, just a second before the Ghost collided with the gun turret causing it to explode in huge fireball. I leaped up and flipped over the exploding Ghost and gun turret landing on one knee.

"This is Sierra-113… Contact report… Engaging Covenant forces…"

* * *

On board the Marathon-class heavy cruiser UNSC _Crimson Splendor_, Captain Henry Bondarev paced the bridge as he always tended to do. He had been keeping a worried eye on the threat board while the Pelicans evacuated the surviving civilians and soldiers from the planet.

Captain Bondarev was still puzzled over where this Spartan… Sierra-113… had come from. Bondarev had been looking forward to meeting this Spartan, but as the situation had developed it appeared that the Captain would not get the chance to meet this Spartan. The Captain and the bridge crew had heard the emotional exchange between this Spartan and a woman named Faith. That a Spartan had a woman, let alone a child was a surprising and shocking development. It would have been interesting to have found out where this Spartan had been as the data records listed Sierra-113 as MIA since 2552.

Captain Bondarev turned towards one of the bridge's tactical stations," Xavier… Do we still have eyes on that Covenant base?"

"Yes Captain… We still have one drone on station just outside their weapon's range." the crewman replied.

"Bring up the drone's video feed on the main display." the Captain ordered.

"Aye Sir."

Captain Bondarev watched as the main display brought up a live video feed of the shielded covenant base. The Captain knew that unless they could bring down the shield, the only way to take out the base would be by ground assault and that would be costly and messy.

One of the bridge crew called out shaking the captain out of his thoughts, "Sir! Something is headed towards the base… It looks like a Ghost…"

The Captain nodded and called over to the tactical station, "Can we get a close up on that?" as the bridge crew watched as the base's defenses opened fire on the fasting moving Ghost.

The Captain and bridge crew watched as the Ghost hit the turret explode. They heard the Spartan's report over the battle net.

The captain barked out commands, "Weapons! Stand by on Shiva launch. When we get the word that the shield is down we launch… Understood?"

The crewman manning the weapons station acknowledged the command.

Captain Bondarev felt sick having to launch a Shiva nuclear missile and kill the Spartan, but there was no alternative available. He didn't have the manpower or ships for a ground assault.

* * *

Captain Suliga was still on the Pelican as it was heading for the cruiser when he heard the contact report from Sierra-113. He was sitting across from Faith. She was sitting there in shock staring off into space. Suliga had seen this before, too many times for his taste. He motioned to one of his troopers sitting next to Faith and Suliga changed positions to sit next to Faith.

The Captain sat beside Faith for a moment not knowing what to say. He finally reached into one of his pockets and pulled out the picture that the Spartan had given to him earlier. Suliga took his combat helmet off and he turned to Faith.

"He… He wanted you to have this." Suliga said with some obvious awkwardness.

It took Faith a moment to realize where she was and that someone was talking to her. She turned to the Captain and then looked at the picture he was holding. It had been one of precious few photos that had been taken of both Michael and her together. Faith could only look at the happy smiling couple in the photo and it had seemed like a million years ago. It was all surreal to her.

"He had this with him?" Faith spoke quietly still looking at the photo.

Captain Suliga handed a headset to Faith. "Just in case you want to listen… I don't know if you'll get a chance to talk to him… I don't think he has much time…" Suliga couldn't lie to Faith at this time, she deserved the truth.

Faith took the headset and put it on and listened to the battle net. She heard updates from the Pelican crew and the spaceship they were headed for. She suddenly heard Michael's voice over the battle net.

"Heavy Covenant resistance… It may take longer to get through."

Faith wanted to talk to Michael, but she didn't want to distract him at this critical time and she couldn't trust herself to speak. She just listened.

* * *

I hit the ground after taking out the gun turret with my Ghost. I didn't waste any time and started moving. I had out my assault rifle and opened up on the closest enemies. I quickly oriented myself to the base's entrance on my NAV system.

The Covenant forces were recovering fast and I sprinted for the entrance. It seemed that time was slowing down as everything was moving in slow motion. Covenant return fire was streaking through the air. My shields flared and I ran and dodged the fire shooting at the nearest threats to me. I watched as a large formation of Brutes and Grunts were moving towards the same entrance I was headed to.

I ran… I ran like I was six years old again running through the green fields of my dreams. I fired my weapon and I changed clips as I emptied them. I kept an eye on how much ammo I was using. I quickly pulled a plasma grenade and stuck a Grunt in the middle of group that was firing at me. The explosion tore through the group shredding them and removing that threat. My shield indicator was warning me that it was critical. I needed to either break through fast or find cover to have time for my shields to recharge. I quickly threw another plasma grenade and followed it with a frag. The explosions tore through the Covenant. I had my opening and I sprinted faster for it. At the last second my instincts kicked in and I dodged… just missing a Brute stepping out and swinging a gravity hammer at me. I took a glancing blow and I flew through the air sideways. I hit the ground and quickly did a shoulder roll and was back up on me feet as I had been trained. I recovered and brought my assault rifle up and fired a long burst directly into the Brute's face killing him instantly. My shields were now flashing critical and some of my suit's systems were giving me yellow caution indicators.

* * *

_Adriana was still providing Michael with tactical and battle updates and playing havoc with the Covenant battle net, but she was dedicating a large amount of cycle time to research an answer to her problem._

_Adriana recalled her conversations with Willow about how magic worked. Willow explained it as knowing how the forces of nature worked and the physical properties involved and then being able to use the "energy" and force of will to manipulate those properties to achieve the required results._

_Adriana quickly pulled up all the information she had accumulated on magic and was looking for something that would help to fix the recall device._

_She hurried as she knew there wasn't much time left…_

* * *

Captain Bondarev and the rest of the bridge crew watched in awe and fascination as the surveillance drone's video of the battle showed what was happening around the Covenant base. The cruiser's crew could only watch helplessly as the Spartan fought and killed the Covenant in droves.

Most of the bridge crew had only heard the stories of the Spartans in action. To see them fighting added to the aura of legend that surrounded them.

One of the bridge crew interrupted Captain Bondarev as he was watching the live video feed.

"Captain… The last Pelican is on approach and is getting ready to dock."

"That would be Captain Suliga's ride." Captain Bondarev thought.

"Make sure that Captain Suliga and his female passenger are brought to the bridge immediately…" the Captain ordered.

"Aye Aye Sir!" the crewman replied.

* * *

I made it inside the base. Alarms were going off and I could hear the panicked cries of Grunts. I made my way carefully through the corridors. I needed to go up two levels and then catch a gravity lift to the top spire of the base. That was where the shield generator was located.

I met very little resistance as I made way to the gravity lift. What resistance I did encounter I quickly removed. I heard the cries of "Demon!" from the Grunts echo through the base.

When I finally reached the gravity lift, it was quiet. I did a quick ammo check. I was down to 3 spare clips for my assault rifle. I had almost a full load for my battle rifle. I pulled a frag grenade out and armed it and tossed it into the gravity lift and watched it sail up to the top of the spire. I counted to ten and then jumped into the light of the gravity lift and soared up to the top level. I was half way up when I heard the grenade go off. I reached the top and found several Grunts dead and a couple of Brutes wounded. I finished off the wounded and entered the corridor from the gravity level area. I was thrown back by an explosion as my shields flared and flashed critical warnings on my helmet display.

As I recovered from my close call, I managed a quick look and saw what almost too me out, there was a Brute with a fuel rod launcher and there was also a portable plasma gun manned by a Grunt. This was an ugly situation…

* * *

_Adriana had managed to locate a magic spell that might bridge the burned out circuit and activate the recall device, but the spell required a sacrifice of something precious…_

_Adriana knew what she had to do and what the cost would be. It was so hard to let go as there was so little time left. She prepared the spell as time was running short…_

* * *

I changed weapons and got my battle rifle out. This would have to be fast as I didn't have time to delay as there could be Covenant reinforcements coming up the gravity lift any minute. I pulled my last frag grenade and threw it down the hall bouncing it off a wall to minimize my exposure. I counted to three and as the grenade went off. I jumped into the hall and threw a plasma grenade at the Brute holding the fuel rod launcher as he was trying to dodge the frag I had already thrown. I managed to stick him with the plasma grenade as he tried to dodge my previous grenade throw. The plasma gunner opened fire and my shields flared again. As the Brute exploded from the plasma grenade, I ducked and rolled to the other side of the corridor and brought my battle rifle up and zeroed in on the plasma gunner. I could see the Grunt's eyes open wider and I pulled the trigger quickly putting a three round burst into the Grunt's head exploding out the back. I stood up and walked past the dead bodies and made my way to the shield control area.

I entered the empty shield control room and deactivated the shield to the installation. I attached my last blastpak charge to the console and set it for a fifteen second delay. I didn't want the Covenant to be able to reactivate the shield. I moved back into the corridor and shortly a huge explosion came out of the shield control room making the whole spire shudder. I moved further back down the corridor to keep an eye on the gravity lift… There was no rush now… There was nowhere to go to… I relaxed a bit.

I called over the battle net, "UNSC Crimson Splendor... This is Sierra-113… Covenant base shield is down… I repeat shield is down… Bring the thunder… This is Sierra-113 out."

* * *

Faith and Captain Suliga reached the bridge of the cruiser. If it had been any other time or place, Faith would have been impressed and in awe to have been in a spaceship in orbit around a planet, but the circumstances of her being here made her numb to the experience.

Captain Suliga introduced Faith to Captain Bondarev, He came forward and clasped Faith's hand and stared into her eyes.

"I'm sorry that it had to be like this… If there was any other way…" Captain Bondarev said to Faith.

Faith looked into the Captain's eyes and saw the honesty and sadness there. Faith couldn't trust herself to speak and she just nodded.

The Captain stepped back and called out saluting, "Attention on Deck! Spartan on the Bridge!"

Faith could only watch as the whole bridge crew and Captain Suliga came to immediate attention and saluted towards Faith.

Faith looked at the men and women on the bridge of the ship and she realized that they were showing their respect to Michael the only way they could. Faith could only look and nod at the men and women on the bridge. She saw the respect for Michael in their faces and eyes. She now understood what Michael and the other Spartans represented in this universe.

It was at that moment that Michael's call came over the battle net…

Faith could only watch feeling helpless and numb as the Captain turned towards one of the bridge stations and called out, "Weapons Control… You heard the Spartan… Weapons free... Launch Shiva…"

Captain Bondarev couldn't face Faith again after giving the command.

Faith could feel the ship shudder as the missile launched.

"Missile launch confirmed. ETA to target one minute thirty seconds." came a reply from the weapons officer.

Faith still couldn't speak. She just moved closer to the bridge's viewing area and could see the planet below. It all looked so peaceful. Captain Bondarev and the rest of the crew just watched Faith quietly as the countdown timer ticked down the seconds remaining.

* * *

I heard the cruiser's missile launch confirmation. I didn't have much time left. I regretted that I wouldn't be there for Faith and to see our child grow up. I felt oddly calm and relaxed, there was no more that I could do. The remaining Covenant forces were trying to evacuate the area, but the Shiva carried a large enough warhead that the enemy wouldn't be able to clear out in time. Any Covenant forces left on the planet would be a simple clean-up operation.

I opened a channel on the battle net. I was thinking how to phrase it, but with so little time left, I said to hell with standard communications protocol.

"Faith… I don't know if you're listening, but I just wanted to say that you were the best thing to ever happen in my life and that I will love you always…" I said hoping that she was listening.

I heard Faith's voice over the battle net. She started to speak and I could hear her trying to control the emotions in her voice, "Michael… I love you…"

Suddenly Faith's voice was cutoff and all my suit systems started flashing yellow and red warning lights.

"Damn it! No… Why now?" I thought angrily.

"Adriana… What's going on? I need communications back!" I pleaded.

Adriana spoke to me in a sad voice, "I am sorry Michael, but I need to shunt power from your suit systems to do this…"

"What are you talking about?" I demanded.

"I can't let you die like this…" Adriana said.

I suddenly noticed a bright swirling light surrounding my feet and it was rising to engulf me.

"Adriana… What are you doing?" I pleaded.

"Michael… I just want you to know that it has been an honor serving with you…" the AI said with love and tenderness in her voice.

"Adriana… I don't know what you're doing… Don't leave me alone… not now…' I said trying and failing to choke back my emotions.

"I want you to know that I always loved you. Live your life... Michael. You deserve happiness." Adriana said choking back her own emotions.

"Damn it Adriana! We go together… I still need you!"

The light had almost completely engulfed me and for a moment I could see Adriana's face in the light swirling around me. She smiled at me with love in her face and eyes.

"Michael… You're going home…"

"Nooooo… Adriana!" I screamed helplessly as I was swallowed by the light...

The Shiva missile hit the Covenant installation a few seconds later detonating its 10 megaton warhead engulfing the installation and Covenant soldiers in a nuclear firestorm.

On the bridge of the UNSC _Crimson Splendor_, the weapons officer reported somberly to Captain Bondarev, "Missile impact… Direct hit… Sir!"

Faith was watching out the bridge viewing station and saw a bright star flare on the planet's surface below. She put her face into her hands and she cried. Captain Suliga came over to her and helped her off the bridge to take her down to the ship's medical bay to have her and the baby checked out.

Captain Bondarev watched as Faith and Suliga left his bridge. He could feel his bridge crew stare at him.

"Secure from Battle Stations… Maintain Alert Status and as soon as we have secured all stations prepare for Slip Space jump…" the Captain ordered.

"Let's go home…" the Captain quietly added.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

_UNSC Military Hospital – San Diego, Earth – Sol System – August 23, 2556_

Captain Suliga was visiting Faith in her hospital room. The door was slightly ajar and you could see the Armored Marine standing guard outside the room.

Captain Suliga felt bad for Faith and the situation she was in. After the cruiser had left orbit of the planet to return to Earth, Suliga had talked to Captain Bondarev and they had agreed to try and keep Faith's situation quiet. When the UNSC _Crimson Splendor _made it back to space dock at Earth, Suliga had managed to sneak Faith off the ship and get down to the planet's surface. He even managed to get Faith to his sister's place and they were able to stay there for about two days before ONI agents showed up at the door.

The agents had been very polite and had "requested" that Faith accompany them to San Diego for a medical checkup and to answer several questions. The Captain was also asked to accompany the agents for further follow up.

On the trip to San Diego, Suliga wondered who had spilled the beans, but he later found out that Michael's AI… Adriana and done a dump of all of Michael's mission and action logs to the Crimson's shipboard AI and ONI had accessed those logs. Suliga could only watch as Faith quietly and numbly complied with the ONI agent's requests. Suliga had been worried about Faith disappearing down one of ONI's infamous black holes, so he was glad that they had arrived at the hospital and had done a full medical checkup on Faith and the unborn child. It appeared that they did more in depth tests than what the cruiser's medical staff had done as they kept asking to do further medical tests. They did mention about detecting some genetic anomalies, but assured Faith that the baby was in good health. The hospital and ONI agents assured both Faith and Captain Suliga that the baby would not be harmed by the tests.

Sometimes it seemed that Suliga was the more aggressive party in ensuring the safety of the unborn child. He felt he owed something to the Spartan that had saved his and his men's lives on that planet. Every time that Suliga was questioned by the ONI agents as to the events that had occurred on the planet, he made sure that he didn't omit any details or cause any confusion that could cause Faith any further grief. Suliga had even been questioned by a Doctor Harrison about the Spartan, his interaction with the Spartan and details about the final battle all in great detail.

Suliga actually liked Faith. The times he visited her, she would seem to brighten up and smile. He would take her for walks on the hospital grounds (under supervision of the armed guard) and ask if she needed anything. She would always reply that there was nothing she needed and that she appreciated these visits. Suliga could see that Faith was lonely and heart broken. Suliga had been temporarily reassigned to training duties on Earth and he continued these visits for three months.

Today's visit was the same as always. They had come back from their escorted walk on the hospital grounds and Suliga and Faith would engage in small talk. Faith was looking beautiful and more pregnant with each visit.

"Richard… You know you don't have to keep visiting me." Faith said.

"I don't mind… It's the least I can do… Plus it keeps the ONI spooks honest." Suliga replied.

"I've got nothing to hide from them… I have no real place to go and I don't know anyone…" Faith answered.

"Well you know me…" Suliga replied smiling.

Faith smiled back, "Don't you have a family of your own?"

"No… The Corps is my family… My sister is still trying to set me up with a friend of hers. She says that we would be a perfect match…" Suliga replied sheepishly.

"So why don't you date her?" Faith asked.

Suliga got a hesitant look and took a moment to reply, "You know the type of life I live… It's hard to have a family knowing that something could happen at any moment… I don't know if I could do that to them…"

Faith looked at Suliga with a sad smile and moved her hand to hold Suliga's face. "Richard… I still love and will always love Michael… I'm sad and torn up inside that he is gone. The only thing I have left of Michael is this child, but I have no regrets over the time we had and shared together…."

Faith smiled at the Captain, "I would be more upset seeing that you were afraid to live your life…"

Faith then surprised Suliga by leaning over and kissing him on the cheek. "Live your life and be happy Richard." She whispered.

"I'll be back to visit you as soon as I can" Captain Suliga said.

Faith smiled, "I'll be here… I'm not going anywhere…"

* * *

Captain Suliga was in deep thought as he was walking out of the hospital. He was just passing the main reception desk on his way out the door, when he almost bumped into two young women.

"Pardon me…" Suliga said as he started to continue his way out the door.

Something made him turn and take another look at the women he almost bumped into. One was a blonde with long hair and the other was a red head with shorter hair. Both women were attractive and were talking quietly to themselves. At that moment the strangest thing happened, the blonde turned towards Suliga and smiled and then winked at him. It took a moment for Suliga to recover and he smiled back at the blonde and turned and left the building.

Suliga returned to his office at the nearby UNSC military base and was doing his daily work of reviewing ODST unit training schedules. It was boring work, but it kept him close to San Diego and he could keep an eye on Faith.

Captain Suliga received a call and was ordered to report to the hospital immediately. Suliga immediately became worried that something had happened to Faith and the baby and he demanded to know what had happened. Suliga wasn't given any answers beyond his orders to report to the hospital.

Captain Suliga rushed to the hospital and found it swarming with UNSC military police and ONI agents. Something had definitely happened to Faith and the baby and Suliga was very concerned now. As Suliga approached the hospital entrance, he was quickly recognized and escorted by Marine armed guards to Faith's room.

Suliga was prepared to see the worse when he entered Faith's room, but was slightly relieved to find the room empty except for three ONI agents that were gathered together discussing something evidently important.

As Suliga entered the room the ONI agent closest to him, which also appeared to be the most senior agent, turned and faced him.

"So Captain Suliga… Where is she?" the ONI agent asked in an aggressive tone.

"Where is who?" asked a confused Suliga.

The senior agent responded, "Don't play dumb with us… Where is Faith Lehane?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about… Has something happened to Faith and the baby?" the Captain asked with obvious concern.

The senior agent sighed as it became obvious to him that Captain Suliga had no idea what had happened.

"Over an hour ago, during a shift change, the Marine guard was found unconscious in Faith's room. There is no sign of Faith in the building or the surrounding areas." the senior agent explained.

"I know that Faith was strong and tough, but I find it hard to believe that a six month pregnant woman could take out an Armored Marine guard. Plus she has no place to go." Suliga said with skepticism.

"We concur with your assessment Captain… Once we were able to revive the guard, the last thing he remembers were two young women walking down the hall towards this room. One was a blonde and the other was a red head…" the senior ONI agent reported.

It was like someone had punched Captain Suliga, but his training and experience kept him from showing any emotion or response to this information.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't see anything when I left here… I went straight back to my office and have been there until you called me here…" Suliga reported with a straight face.

"We are aware of your activities… Captain!" one of the other agents said.

The three ONI agents huddled together to discuss the situation. Captain Suliga looked around Faith's room. On one of the tables next to a vase of flowers that Suliga had brought for Faith was the picture of Faith and Michael together that he had given to Faith at Michael's request.

For some unknown reason Suliga flipped the picture over to look at the back. On it was a message written, "_Richard… Live your life and be happy... Faith_"

The Captain looked casually at the ONI agents as they were busy discussing the situation and took no notice of the Captain. Suliga pocketed the picture without the agents noticing.

Suliga turned towards the agents, "Do you need me for anything else?" he asked.

"No Captain… You are dismissed." the senior agent said.

"Please keep me informed when you find Faith… I'm worried as she is my friend." the Captain added before leaving.

Just as Suliga was about to leave the room, the senior agent called him back in, "Damn it! I was so close." he thought.

The senior agent faced Suliga, "You do appreciate the sensitive nature of this matter and that this information should remain classified… Do I make myself clear… Major?"

Suliga smiled as he came to attention and saluted, "Crystal Sir!"

The newly promoted Major Richard (Stew) Suliga left the hospital with a smile and whistling to himself…


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

_5414 Erde-Tyrene Research Installation – Earth – Sol System_

Faith was sitting on a balcony looking at the lake and feeling the warmth of the late afternoon sun. It all felt so good.

She had been shocked and happy when Buffy and Willow had shown up in her hospital room six months ago to bring her home. It was sad leaving Richard Suliga behind as he had been a good friend to her, but Faith knew that she didn't belong in that universe. There were too many bad memories. She quickly scribbled a message for Richard and hoped that he would get it.

Faith had a lot of questions, but Buffy and Willow quickly rushed Faith to get moving, so that they could open a portal to exit the hospital and that universe. Faith didn't know how Buffy and Willow had found her and they weren't going to answer her questions at that moment as they were busy dragging an unconscious guard into her hospital room and keeping a look out. Faith thought she was glad to be going home, but her heart still ached for Michael. All that Buffy would say is, "All will be revealed when we get home…"

Faith noticed that Willow had pulled a strange looking hand control device out and activated and watched as a portal formed in Faith's hospital room. They stepped through the portal that Willow created and Faith found herself regaining her senses in the transport room of Virgil's installation.

As she was regaining her senses, Faith was greeted by a voice she thought she would never hear again, "Did you miss me?"

Faith turned and saw Michael standing in the Transport room entrance with a big happy smile.

Buffy and Willow couldn't help but smile as Michael came and picked up Faith and hugged her. Faith couldn't believe that it was all real and that Michael was alive and they were together. Michael explained what Adriana had done and that she had sacrificed herself to send Michael back here. Faith was sad that Adriana was gone, but she was filled with happiness that Michael was alive and well. Michael said it took some time to locate, plan and organize Faith's breakout. Michael had to ask Buffy and Willow (who were more than happy to help) to retrieve Faith as Michael couldn't just walk into the hospital and he didn't want his presence to generate any questions.

"My war is over… All that matters now is you and our child…" Michael had told Faith.

Michael and Faith decided that they would stay with Virgil to give birth to their child. Virgil had been sad with Adriana's passing, but he was ecstatic at the prospect of helping with the birth.

Virgil also revealed that Adriana had left some instructions behind and had provided, back in Buffy's universe, everyone with their own private bank account with $15 million deposited. Adriana had kept her word and had made sure that everyone had been taken care. Needless to say Xander had been able to take Anya on a tropical trip on their own private jet for their honeymoon.

It had been a hard and difficult birth, but Michael had been by Faith's side the whole time and with Virgil's medical assistance she had given birth to a healthy little girl.

Virgil had reassured the worried new parents that all his scans indicated that their new daughter was a healthy child. He was happy to let both Faith and Michael know that their daughter had some genetic advantages compared to normal humans. Virgil could already scan and see that the little girl would be as strong as or possibly even stronger than a Slayer and also that initial brain scans showed higher activity compared to normal human development. Virgil surmised that the procedure he performed to save the baby's life had activated some dormant genetic instructions that led the child to have more "gifts" and "advantages" as compared to a normal human. Whatever the reason or result, both Faith and Michael had been happy that their child was healthy.

Faith looked over to the other side of the balcony and watched Michael as he held their baby girl. He had been so scared about holding the baby the first time as he was worried about his enhanced strength hurting the child. Faith reassured the new dad that he would be fine. Faith found it hard to reconcile Michael sitting their holding his daughter to the warrior that had battled the Covenant. Since the birth she had noticed a change in Michael's behavior and mood. He seemed more happy and relaxed and at ease with himself now. Faith was still tired and recovering from the child birth and taking care of a new born, but she was happy that she had her family back together and woe to anyone that tried to break them a part again.

Faith looked at her husband Michael with love and happiness. That had been one the many topics they had discussed before the birth and they had decided that they should get married before the birth. They didn't know where they would do the ceremony at first, but they finally decided to have it at the nearby village. It had been a big celebration and even Buffy, Willow, Kennedy, Giles, Xander and Anya had been transported over to be in attendance for the happy day.

Faith saw Michael stand up and bring their daughter over to her. Their daughter was just starting to fall asleep in the late afternoon sun. There hadn't been much discussion or argument over what name to give their daughter. Faith took their daughter from her husband and she looked with love at her daughter _Adriana Buffy-Ann Willow Tala Lehane_, she was named after some very special people that had been in both Faith and Michael's lives.

"You have some very big shoes to fill, but I think you will do just fine…" Faith whispered to her sleeping daughter.

* * *

I sat back down after handing Adriana to Faith. It was a difficult adjustment sometimes going from a Spartan to father, but it had only been three months as a new dad and I actually looked forward to the challenges that we would face together as family in the years ahead.

We still hadn't decided whether to stay here or return to Sunnydale. We were in no rush and if we stayed here, there weren't the same kind of threats that we would face back in Sunnydale and that universe.

I gave no more thought of returning to my universe, my war was over. My human race was safe and it was time for me to find something else to do rather than kill and destroy. I had a daughter and wife… _my family_… that I loved and loved me back. There was no rush right now and we would take it one day at a time.

I still wistfully wished that Adriana had survived to see her godchild… I had been insistent with having Adriana named as the godmother and Faith had been quick to agree with it. For some reason I still felt Adriana's presence around me and that she was still watching out for me.

I was happy and I didn't feel restless like I once had. I had a better understanding of the dream I use to have of my brother and sister Spartans pointing at me… They weren't accusing me of anything they were pointing at me to remember them and maintain their legacy. I swore on my oath that my daughter would know of those men and women that I grew up with, trained with and fought with. She would know and understand the sacrifices that my brother and sister Spartans had made to protect and defend the human race. My daughter would know that some things were worth fighting for… She would know that Spartans never die.


	21. Chapter 21

**Epilogue**

_Sunnydale, California – September 1, 2021 – 0815 PST_

The principal looked across his desk at the young girl sitting on the other side. The principal thought he was a good judge of character, but this girl seemed to be an enigma. According to the sparse information in this girl's records she was fifteen years old. The girl was in that transition phase from teenager to young woman and she was already starting to show the mature beauty and good looks associated with becoming a woman.

"I would hate to be this girl's father… He'll be beating off the boys left and right…" the principal thought.

The principal also noted that this young girl…woman held herself in a confident manner much more than a typical girl of the same age would. Even with her beauty and good looks, the young woman's eyes sparkled with strength and intelligence.

"Beauty and brains… That can be a dangerous combo…" the principal thought again.

The principal addressed the young woman who had just enrolled, "We are a "unique" school that has many challenges... I hope that you will fit in here and not have too many troubles…"

The young woman made eye contact with the principal and he could see once again the strength and intelligence that was there.

"Two of my aunts and an uncle are graduates of Sunnydale High… My mom and dad actually met here in Sunnydale before getting married, so they are also quite familiar with the area and the "challenges" here. We just moved back into the area as my mom and dad decided that I needed a more structured environment to learn and socialize in." the young woman replied.

The principal shook his head slightly and looked once again at the young woman's information.

"There seems to be little information regarding your academic history and performance… We may need to do some appraisal exams to properly determine your academic level and placement." the principal noted.

"No problem… I'll do whatever exams are needed. My mom and dad felt that it was important for me to experience things, but I had my Uncle Virgil to home school me while growing up… I can assure you that he is quite knowledgeable and did not leave any gaps in my education." the young woman replied once again to the principal.

The principal was in for a shock as the young woman was going to trash all the school's academic bell curves.

"Do you have any siblings?" the principal asked.

The young woman answered smiling, "I have a younger sister who just turned ten… Mom says she is the real brains in the family and I have a younger brother who just turned five… Mom is worried that he'll grow up to be just like dad…"

"If you don't mind me asking, what do your mother and father do for work?" the principal asked with some curiosity trying to understand this enigma.

The young woman smiled and cheerfully replied, "Mom and Dad are both retired. Dad use to do government work and travelled all over before I was born. Mom did some freelance contract work. Luckily my godmother made sure that the family was taken care of financially."

"Beauty, brains and money… The triple whammy... Hopefully she is not one of those spoiled debutantes." thought the principal.

"Adriana? That is a different name." asked the principal.

"I'm named after my godmother. She was a very important person in my dad's life. Unfortunately she died before I was born…" replied the young woman.

The principal stood up to conclude the meeting, "I'm glad to welcome you to Sunnydale High School… Adriana… I'm sure you will fit in here." he said.

"I'm sure I will… I look forward to the challenge…" replied a smiling Adriana Lehane.


End file.
